Sonny Bill Williams has backed Sam Burgess to make a successful transition to rugby union, joining fellow code-hoppers like he and Israel Folau in proving the critics wrong.

The 2014 South Sydney NRL premiership-winning forward played his first representative rugby union match in Ireland on Friday.

Playing at inside centre, Burgess made a number of errors for the second-string England Saxons against the Ireland Wolfhounds in Cork, in just his eighth game of union.

Williams, who is in his second rugby union stint, had some titanic NRL clashes with Burgess over the past two years when his Sydney Roosters met the Rabbitohs.

He recalled both Folau and himself getting similarly bad reviews when they started playing rugby.

Williams went onto win World Cup and Super Rugby titles, while Folau is the reigning John Eales Medallist, given to the Wallabies’ player’s player of the year.

“They’ve got to be patient, he (Burgess) is a world-class athlete,” Williams said after winning his boxing bout against Chauncy Welliver on Saturday night.

“Whether he makes it at 12 (inside centre) or six (blindside flanker), he’s going to make it.

“It just depends on how long it’s going to take to teach him. All the subtleties of the two games are totally different.

“Myself, I think he’d be a perfect No.6 but I think World Cup calculations, he’ll probably fit in better in the England World Cup squad at No.12.

“He’s got a hard work ethic, he’ll be learning after a performance like that if he didn’t play too well.

“But never back against someone as talented.

“Just like Israel Folau, his first few games I’m sure he was getting bagged a little bit ….. now look where he is.”

Williams and Folau could play on the same field for the first time in eight years in Friday’s trial between the Chiefs and Waratahs.

Williams said he was keen to play on Friday, but would leave the decision to Chiefs’ coach Dave Rennie.