Former rugby league star Sam Burgess has made his much-anticipated rugby debut for English side Bath less than two months after helping South Sydney win the NRL grand final.

Burgess came on 23 minutes into the second half in Bath’s premiership clash with Harlequins and went into the centres.

His first minutes in rugby union came a month ahead of schedule after recovering well from the fractured cheekbone and eye socket suffered in Souths’ drought-breaking grand-final win over Canterbury.

The 25-year-old spent the first half on the bench wrapped in a puffy jacket – with insulated foil lining – to ward off the English cold.

It was a far cry from the Sydney sun he was used to when playing for the Rabbitohs.

Burgess was thrown straight into a premiership game on Friday night (Saturday morning AEDT) as third-placed Bath tackled a Harlequins side struggling at eighth on the table.

Burgess took to the field at Bath’s Recreation Ground in front of a near-capacity crowd of just over 13,300 as the home team led 13-6.

The Bath crowd gave him a massive roar as he jogged into position and he was immediately involved in the action with a strong first carry.

Bath coach Mike Ford sees Burgess eventually settling as a back-row forward.

But England coach Stuart Lancaster has previously made it clear he sees the convert in the centres for England.

Lancaster on Thursday said Burgess’s earlier-than-expected rugby debut was a bonus as the player looked to secure a place in his 2015 World Cup squad.

But Lancaster added Burgess was very realistic about how tough it would be to make the grade.

“He knows he’s got to learn the game,” Lancaster said as England prepared to take on the Wallabies at Twickenham on Saturday (early Sunday AEDT).

“We can only base our selection on facts rather than what might happen or how he might adapt to the game.”

Lancaster said he trusted the Bath coaching staff to find the best position for Burgess but his debut wouldn’t be decisive.

“This is one game of many he’ll play in rugby union,” the England coach said.

“Whether it’s in the back row or whether it’s at centre, you’re only taking 31 players to a World Cup.

“That’s five back-row players and four centres. If you’ve got a fly-half who can play centre, that’s a bonus – and if you’ve got a centre who can play on the wing, it’s a bonus (too).”

Bath went on to win Friday’s match 25-6, moving the club to the top of the premiership table at least until Sunday.