Sam Burgess believes he will learn plenty from his full rugby union debut after he helped Bath gain a bonus point 32-12 European Champions Cup victory over Montpellier at the Recreation Ground.

Former rugby league star Burgess, whose previous two Bath appearances since his high-profile switch of codes from NRL premiers South Sydney had been as a second-half substitute, featured at inside centre for the entire game.

He was upstaged, though, by Bath winger Matt Banahan, who scored three tries, with England fly-half George Ford kicking two penalties and three conversions and Horacio Agulla claiming the vital bonus point try two minutes from time.

“I felt OK,” Burgess said.

“I don’t want to say disappointed, but I think there are a lot of things I can get better at, which is expected.

“I have still got plenty to work on. There are a lot of different aspects of the game that I am enjoying learning and working out. I am pleased with my first start.

“I don’t quite know what I did out there, it is a bit of a blur. You are in the game from the word go, whereas previously I have been coming on when the games have been won.

“I didn’t feel too bad positionally, it is more finding the right position in terms of getting on the ball, and at the breakdown I can be better at that. It is not quite instinct yet.

“I will learn a lot from tonight.”

Bath head coach Mike Ford revealed he had thought about playing Burgess for part of the game in the back-row, although circumstances in the end did not allow for it.

Burgess added: “I am just playing where Mike puts me at the moment. I am doing a bit of practice in different positions, seeing which I enjoy most, but at the moment I am just playing.

“I played a full 80 minutes at 12 tonight and enjoyed it. We thought about it (back-row) and we practised it during the week. We were thinking about rolling in for a little bit in the back-row, but didn’t get the opportunity.”

Assessing Burgess’ early development in the union code, Ford said: “This game would have accelerated his learning.

“It is a couple of months away before you start seeing the real Sam Burgess, but what he has done so far has been fantastic.”

Montpellier managed second-half touchdowns from number eight Alex Tulou and replacement prop Mickael Ivaldi, but they never remotely threatened to upset the form-book on a night that saw Bath move above Glasgow into second place in Pool Four.