South Sydney great Sam Burgess has been arrested for allegedly driving unlicensed under the influence of an illegal drug.
NSW Police confirmed to AAP that a 34-year-old man was stopped in the Sydney suburb of Kingsford for roadside testing at about 10am Thursday and subsequently taken to a nearby station after testing positive for an illicit substance.
The driver underwent secondary testing and was issued a notice to appear at Waverley Local Court on February 15 for driving unregistered.
"Inquiries are continuing, and police will await the result of a secondary oral fluid analysis," a police statement said.
Through his lawyer, Burgess told the Daily Telegraph he had not taken drugs and claimed to have obtained a urine sample that proved his innocence.
Burgess played 182 games for the Rabbitohs between 2010 and 2019 and won the Clive Churchill Medal as man of the match in the club's drought-breaking 2014 grand final win.
In March, the NRL fined Burgess $30,000 for using illicit drugs and threatening another player in 2018, and driving with traces of cocaine in his system in February 2021 while working at the Rabbitohs in an off-field role.
For the latter incident, Burgess avoided conviction but was placed on a nine-month good behaviour bond.
The NRL also suspended him from official duties with South Sydney for 12 weeks and any further sanctions could impinge on his hopes of launching a professional coaching career.
This year, Burgess coached NSW North Coast bush footy side Orara Valley Axemen and was previously linked with a position on Wayne Bennett's coaching staff at the Dolphins.
