NRL star Sam Burgess spent Boxing Day on an exclusive Sydney Harbour party boat with a group of revellers, after spending Christmas Day without wife Phoebe and his his newborn baby boy.
Burgess, who split with wife Phoebe late last year, was with friends on The Island, a floating venue that bills itself as fusing ‘European beach club culture and 5-star service.’
The 30-year-old was pictured chatting with a young blonde woman during the afternoon event, a day after Phoebe skipped a Burgess family Christmas Day event.
NRL star Sam Burgess spent Boxing Day on an exclusive Sydney Harbour party boat with a group of friends (pictured), a day after missing Christmas with his newborn baby boy
Burgess, who split with wife Phoebe late last year, was with a group of friends on The Island, a floating venue that bills itself as fusing ‘European beach club culture and 5-star service’
Phoebe Burgess was not present for this family Christmas Day gathering at Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel. Sam’s brothers Tom, George and Luke and their partners were all there
A witness said Burgess was relaxed and showed no signs of having recently split from the mother of his two children.
‘He looked happy, seemed to be having a good time,’ the observer said.
‘I noticed he wasn’t with his wife, but didn’t think much of it.
‘But then when I saw the news yesterday that they split, I thought for someone to be smiling like that when they’ve just left their wife is full-on.’
The partygoer said he did not know if a young blonde woman Burgess was pictured speaking to was among his group of friends.
The Island features a licensed ‘bespoke’ bar alongside VIP banquettes, according to promotional material.
‘A venue unrivaled to any on-water location, and hospitality landscape, opening up the harbour to local and international guests,’ its website states.
Phoebe has been holed-up in the $3.8million four-bedroom home she once shared with Sam with her mother Sarah Hooke, pregnant sister Jemima Fairbanks and her husband Gene
South Sydney star footballer Sam Burgess leaves the home he shared with wife Phoebe in Sydney’s south-east on Wednesday afternoon. He was in the house for about half an hour
‘With The Island’s professional crew, guests will be escorted to the venue via our private 48-seat water taxi and courtesy boats.
‘These are on call for the duration of every function and enables guests to come and go as they please.’
Water taxis to The Island leave from Double Bay wharf.
Phoebe gave birth to the couple’s second child William ‘Billy’ Mark Burgess on December 9, announcing the news on Instagram two days later with the hashtag ‘FamilyofFour’.
‘Welcome to our world little big man, our hearts are so full,’ she wrote.
The Burgesses have a daughter, Poppy Alice, who is almost two.
NRL star Sam Burgess, pictured outside his marital home, has split from his wife of three years
Phoebe, Billy and Poppy were not with Sam and his 26-year-old twin brothers, fellow Souths footballers Tom and George, for the Burgess family Christmas Day celebration at the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel.
George’s wife Joanna shared a picture on Instagram showing the rest of the extended family, including the twins, older brother Luke and their mother Julie.
The picture also showed George and Joanna’s one-year-old son Boston, Tom’s girlfriend Tahlia Giumelli and NSW State of Origin coach Brad Fittler.
Daily Mail Australia photographed Burgess leaving his marital home at Maroubra in Sydney’s eastern suburbs carrying three overnight bags on Wednesday afternoon.
Phoebe Burgess announced the December 9 birth of her second child William ‘Billy’ Burgess (pictured) on December 11. The couple has a daughter, Poppy Alice, who is almost two
Phoebe has been holed-up in the $3.8million four-bedroom home with her mother Sarah Hooke, pregnant sister Jemima Fairbanks and her husband Gene.
Supporters of the journalist have been rallying behind her on Instagram after news of her marriage their split made headlines.
‘I’m very sorry to hear what has happened,’ one wrote. ‘Sending all of my love during this difficult time.’
Another said: ‘Look after yourself, mama’.
Other comments included: ‘My heart is breaking for you’ and ‘You’re doing an awesome job as a mum to a toddler and a newborn and you’ve got this.’
On Thursday, Sam disabled comments on some of his Instagram photos where he was pictured with Phoebe due to trolling.
The couple’s split came after Sam was cleared of any wrongdoing in September after a 23-year-old woman claimed two unnamed Souths Sydney players had sent her lewd images of themselves via Facebook in May.
Sam Burgess, pictured with estranged wife Phoebe and their daughter Poppy, has missed a number of recent milestones with his family including his thirtieth birthday and Christmas