Sam Burgess left court in the Southern Highlands on Tuesday with a new look.
The former footballer, 32, was sporting noticeably greying hair as he exited Moss Vale Local Court.
Formerly brunette, the one-time South Sydney Rabbitohs player appeared to have turned fully grey in recent months.
New look: Sam Burgess (pictured) left court in the Southern Highlands on Tuesday sporting a new look. The former footballer, 32, was sporting noticeably greying hair as he exited Moss Vale Local Court
Some studies have showed that hair can lose pigment due to chronic or high levels of stress.
However, most scientists believe genetics and age are the primary factors in the development of prematurely grey hair.
Additionally, it’s possible the athlete may have previously dyed his hair, and has recently ceased doing so.
New do: Formerly brunette, the one-time South Sydney Rabbitohs player appeared to have turned fully grey in recent months. Pictured left in 2018, and right on Tuesday
Dark do: Sam’s hair was a chocolate brown in 2017 (pictured)
It comes after Burgess escaped conviction for driving with cocaine in his system while on his way to pick up his two young children.
Burgess pleaded guilty on Tuesday afternoon to driving with traces of cocaine present in his saliva.
Magistrate Mark Douglass said in Moss Vale Local Court that Burgess had shown remorse, contrition and insight into his behaviour.
Changes: He has some flecks of grey in 2018, but still had caramel tresses
Brunette: Sam sported luscious brown locks in 2015 (pictured)
Mr Douglass said Burgess had undergone a ‘very arduous and rigorous’ four-week residential rehabilitation program after his offending. That program did relate specifically to drugs.
Solicitor Bryan Wrench said his client had attended a residential program and had returned clean drug tests since the offence.
Mr Douglass placed Burgess on a nine-month conditional release order in relation to the drug matter and fined him $581 for each of two traffic offences.
Burgess has also pleaded guilty to driving without a NSW licence and driving while unregistered.
Result: It comes after Burgess escaped conviction for driving with cocaine in his system while on his way to pick up his two young children. He was placed on a nine-month conditional release order in relation to the drug matter and fined him $581 for each of two traffic offences
He was not accused of driving under the influence of cocaine, only with the less serious offence of having the drug present in his system when he was behind the wheel.
The 32-year-old was subjected to a random roadside drug test after being pulled over by highway patrol officers in the Southern Highlands about 1.30pm on Monday, February 22.
Burgess had been on his way to collect daughter Poppy and son Billy from Bowral, about 8km away, when police stopped his BMW X5 on the Hume Highway at Braemar.
Charges: The 32-year-old was subjected to a random roadside drug test after being pulled over by highway patrol officers in the Southern Highlands about 1.30pm on Monday, February 22. Burgess had been on his way to collect four-year-old daughter Poppy and two-year-old son Billy from Bowral when police stopped his BMW X5 on the Hume Highway at Braemar
A preliminary test detected signs of cocaine in his saliva and Burgess was taken to Southern Highlands police station where a secondary oral fluid test was undertaken.
That test returned positive to cocaine.
Burgess had celebrated his older brother Luke’s 34th birthday in Sydney’s eastern suburbs at Coogee beachside restaurant Marrah two nights earlier.
Burgess was pulled over three weeks after he was found guilty of intimidating his father-in-law Mitchell Hooke during a heated clash at the Hooke family home near Bowral in October 2019. That conviction was subsequently overturned on appeal.
Test: Burgess was surprised by the initial positive test and was concerned by any suggestion his driving could have been inhibited. He had celebrated his older brother Luke’s 34th birthday in Sydney’s eastern suburbs at Coogee beachside restaurant Marrah two nights earlier
Burgess has no criminal record in Australia or the United Kingdom.
Burgess and ex-wife and Phoebe Burgess split in October 2019, after four tumultuous years of marriage.
They had initially separated in December 2018 – shortly after the birth of their son, Billy – but reconciled in April, only to end things for good six months later.
Burgess has been filming the second season of SAS Australia, the top-rating Channel Seven TV series which puts contestants through a modified special-forces selection regime.
Split: Burgess and ex-wife and Phoebe Burgess (right) split in October 2019, after four tumultuous years of marriage