Rugby World Cup 2015 will come “far too soon” for rugby league convert Sam Burgess, according to former English flanker Lewis Moody.

World Cup-winner Moody, a 71-Test veteran, believes the South Sydney NRL firebrand could struggle to master union’s complexities and break into Stuart Lancaster’s England squad in time for next year’s global tournament.

Burgess will swap Sydney for the south west next month, arriving at the Recreation Ground on October 15 to play for Bath.

The Premiership league rugby club will pitch Burgess into action in the centres, with head coach Mike Ford still confident the 25-year-old will flourish in the back-row in time.

Former Leicester and Bath flanker Moody, part of England’s triumphant 2003 squad, believes next year’s World Cup may be just out of reach for Burgess.

“There’s a lot of interest and excitement around Sam’s arrival, on how he’ll fit into the Bath squad and what will happen with England,” Moody said.

“Will they put him straight into the squad? With the way Stuart’s been I find it hard to imagine that they would include him straight away.

“Going back to 2003 Josh Lewsey hadn’t played many games for England going into the Six Nations.

“So there’s always a chance for him, but I think the World Cup will be far too soon.

“But that won’t be down to coaches or other players, it will be down to Sam and how quickly he fits into the game.

“I’m sure he’ll have been doing his homework on rucking and mauling, offside lines and dark arts, because it’s a very different game.”

Burgess has been a sensation in four years at Souths, but will have just nine months to handle his code switch in time to make England’s World Cup squad.

England launch their World Cup bid on home soil on September 18 next year, but head coach Lancaster will have his extended training squad in place by July.

Moody expects Burgess to thrive in union in the long-term, but believes his line-breaking talents will be best employed from the centres, not the back-row.

“Back-row is such a technical position and there’s such a lot to learn, it’s not just broken-field play, you’ve got the breakdown, scrum and line-out,” he said.

“I think back-row might be slightly too complicated, and will take some time to learn.

“The technical side of the game is tough, but I’d imagine they’ll keep it pretty simple for Sam at Bath straight away.”