In all the furore over those refereeing decisions, little mention was given to the performance of Sam Burgess on Sunday night.

The young prop bravely took to the field in Cardiff just three days after his dad Mark died aged 45 after a long battle with motor neurone disease.

Missing the game was never an option for Sam, who cared for his father around the clock at their Liversedge home.

A former Hunslet, Dewsbury and Nottingham forward himself, Mark had always insisted his illness should never get in the way of the lad's rugby and that was Sam's thinking ahead of the match in Cardiff.

Fittingly, his elder brother Luke made his own Super League debut for Harlequins when they beat Catalans Dragons 32-28 the previous day at the Millennium Stadium.

Mark had watched proudly when Sam made his bow at Leeds last year and avidly followed his sons' progress, with their younger twin brothers George and Thomas set to forge a career in the game as well.

The Bulls players wore black armbands during the game against Rhinos, and Sam said: "I was pleased the boys paid their respects like that - it was just a shame we didn't get the result."

Mark's funeral will be held at Norristhorpe Church on Monday at 1.30pm and our condolences and sympathies go out to all the family.