MIKE Ford is continuing to keep his cards close to his chest as the questions over what position Sam Burgess will make his own continue to rain down.

Bath’s stellar rugby league convert met the media for the first time as a union player yesterday and with the 25-year-old set to spend some time adapting to a new code, the question remains over where Burgess will ply his trade.

Ford has no doubts that his new man has the ability to make the same titanic impact on the Aviva Premiership that he did during his league days but is preaching patience as ‘Slammin Sam’ finds his feet.

“I think the longer the Union game’s been professional, the bigger, the better, the stronger, he more skilful the players are becoming,” said the Bath chief.

“The skills will certainly be translated. The games are getting closer.

“The way we try to play here at Bath will suit Sam’s style and Sam’s skill-set. I think some of the players have come over to rugby union and been changed into rugby union players. They’ve signed them off what they’ve been doing in league.

“I’m pretty adamant that there’s one thing I don’t do, is change Sam. He’s got a skill-set we want to use to get the best out of him.

“The gameplan will suit Sam and 14 other people on the field at the time – it’s not just about Sam – but I’d be stupid to try and put him on the wing.

“Sam will learn the game over the next six weeks. He’ll play when he’s ready.

“Over that time, I’m sure Sam will have a say about where he’s best suited. We’ve got two very good centres at Bath, who are doing quite well, and we’ve got a fantastic back row as well.

“First and foremost, he’ll be getting integrated into the Bath family and getting the respect of him team-mates.

“Maybe coaches see things differently to maybe Stuart Lancaster, who’s got to win an international and only gets one chance.

“I don’t get have to win an international so I get 22 chances, if you like, in the Premiership, so I can afford to experiment a bit. You want your best 15 players on the field and hopefully Sam will be one of them.

“If you want my gut feeling, it’s that Sam is going to play in the back row but that’s my gut feeling.”