Mandatory Credit: Photo by Gregg Porteous/Newspix / Rex Features ( 1108089f ) Russell Crowe offers England Rugby League star an emotional memento, Redfern Oval, Sydney, Australia - 07 Feb 2010 RUSSELL CROWE'S EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE BRINGS RUGBY PLAYER TO TEARS He's known for his tough man image so it's maybe not a surprise that Russell Crowe managed to reduce a rugby player to tears today. However, hard-man Russell actually prompted the display of emotion after showing off his softer side. The actor paid tribute to player Sam Burgess' father Mark, who was a former English rugby league player and coach, before a match in Sydney today. Before Sam's debut match for Australian team the Rabbitohs, club co-owner Crowe took him to one side and presented him with a membership card in the name of his late father, who died of motor neurone disease in 2007. The card even came complete with motivational quotes favoured by Burgess senior. For Sam, who had nursed his father throughout the latter stages of his illness, the touching gesture was enough to bring him to tears. ''I think it's just a sign of how good the club is,'' Burgess said. ''Russell knows a lot about my background back at home

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Gregg Porteous/Newspix / Rex Features ( 1108089e ) Russell Crowe offers England Rugby League star an emotional memento, Redfern Oval, Sydney, Australia - 07 Feb 2010 RUSSELL CROWE'S EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE BRINGS RUGBY PLAYER TO TEARS He's known for his tough man image so it's maybe not a surprise that Russell Crowe managed to reduce a rugby player to tears today. However, hard-man Russell actually prompted the display of emotion after showing off his softer side. The actor paid tribute to player Sam Burgess' father Mark, who was a former English rugby league player and coach, before a match in Sydney today. Before Sam's debut match for Australian team the Rabbitohs, club co-owner Crowe took him to one side and presented him with a membership card in the name of his late father, who died of motor neurone disease in 2007. The card even came complete with motivational quotes favoured by Burgess senior. For Sam, who had nursed his father throughout the latter stages of his illness, the touching gesture was enough to bring him to tears. ''I think it's just a sign of how good the club is,'' Burgess said. ''Russell knows a lot about my background back at home

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Gregg Porteous/Newspix / Rex Features ( 1108089d ) Russell Crowe offers England Rugby League star an emotional memento, Redfern Oval, Sydney, Australia - 07 Feb 2010 RUSSELL CROWE'S EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE BRINGS RUGBY PLAYER TO TEARS He's known for his tough man image so it's maybe not a surprise that Russell Crowe managed to reduce a rugby player to tears today. However, hard-man Russell actually prompted the display of emotion after showing off his softer side. The actor paid tribute to player Sam Burgess' father Mark, who was a former English rugby league player and coach, before a match in Sydney today. Before Sam's debut match for Australian team the Rabbitohs, club co-owner Crowe took him to one side and presented him with a membership card in the name of his late father, who died of motor neurone disease in 2007. The card even came complete with motivational quotes favoured by Burgess senior. For Sam, who had nursed his father throughout the latter stages of his illness, the touching gesture was enough to bring him to tears. ''I think it's just a sign of how good the club is,'' Burgess said. ''Russell knows a lot about my background back at home

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Gregg Porteous/Newspix / Rex Features ( 1108089b ) Russell Crowe offers England Rugby League star an emotional memento, Redfern Oval, Sydney, Australia - 07 Feb 2010 RUSSELL CROWE'S EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE BRINGS RUGBY PLAYER TO TEARS He's known for his tough man image so it's maybe not a surprise that Russell Crowe managed to reduce a rugby player to tears today. However, hard-man Russell actually prompted the display of emotion after showing off his softer side. The actor paid tribute to player Sam Burgess' father Mark, who was a former English rugby league player and coach, before a match in Sydney today. Before Sam's debut match for Australian team the Rabbitohs, club co-owner Crowe took him to one side and presented him with a membership card in the name of his late father, who died of motor neurone disease in 2007. The card even came complete with motivational quotes favoured by Burgess senior. For Sam, who had nursed his father throughout the latter stages of his illness, the touching gesture was enough to bring him to tears. ''I think it's just a sign of how good the club is,'' Burgess said. ''Russell knows a lot about my background back at home

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Gregg Porteous/Newspix / Rex Features ( 1108089a ) Russell Crowe offers England Rugby League star an emotional memento, Redfern Oval, Sydney, Australia - 07 Feb 2010 RUSSELL CROWE'S EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE BRINGS RUGBY PLAYER TO TEARS He's known for his tough man image so it's maybe not a surprise that Russell Crowe managed to reduce a rugby player to tears today. However, hard-man Russell actually prompted the display of emotion after showing off his softer side. The actor paid tribute to player Sam Burgess' father Mark, who was a former English rugby league player and coach, before a match in Sydney today. Before Sam's debut match for Australian team the Rabbitohs, club co-owner Crowe took him to one side and presented him with a membership card in the name of his late father, who died of motor neurone disease in 2007. The card even came complete with motivational quotes favoured by Burgess senior. For Sam, who had nursed his father throughout the latter stages of his illness, the touching gesture was enough to bring him to tears. ''I think it's just a sign of how good the club is,'' Burgess said. ''Russell knows a lot about my background back at home

ˇOriginal Title: TENDERNESS ˇEnglish Title: TENDERNESS ˇFilm Director: POLSON, JOHN ˇYear: 2009 ˇStars: CROWE, RUSSELL PHOTO: EAST NEWS/ALBUM

ˇOriginal Title: TENDERNESS ˇEnglish Title: TENDERNESS ˇFilm Director: POLSON, JOHN ˇYear: 2009 ˇStars: CROWE, RUSSELL PHOTO: EAST NEWS/ALBUM

ˇOriginal Title: ROBIN HOOD (2010) ˇEnglish Title: ROBIN HOOD ˇFilm Director: SCOTT, RIDLEY ˇYear: 2010 ˇStars: CROWE, RUSSELL PHOTO: EAST NEWS/ALBUM

ˇOriginal Title: ROBIN HOOD (2010) ˇEnglish Title: ROBIN HOOD ˇFilm Director: SCOTT, RIDLEY ˇYear: 2010 ˇStars: CROWE, RUSSELL PHOTO: EAST NEWS/ALBUM

ˇOriginal Title: ROBIN HOOD (2010) ˇEnglish Title: ROBIN HOOD ˇFilm Director: SCOTT, RIDLEY ˇYear: 2010 ˇStars: CROWE, RUSSELL PHOTO: EAST NEWS/ALBUM

ˇOriginal Title: ROBIN HOOD (2010) ˇEnglish Title: ROBIN HOOD ˇFilm Director: SCOTT, RIDLEY ˇYear: 2010 ˇStars: CROWE, RUSSELL PHOTO: EAST NEWS/ALBUM

ˇOriginal Title: ROBIN HOOD (2010) ˇEnglish Title: ROBIN HOOD ˇFilm Director: SCOTT, RIDLEY ˇYear: 2010 ˇStars: CROWE, RUSSELL; SCOTT, RIDLEY; BLANCHETT, CATE PHOTO: EAST NEWS/ALBUM

ˇOriginal Title: ROBIN HOOD (2010) ˇEnglish Title: ROBIN HOOD ˇFilm Director: SCOTT, RIDLEY ˇYear: 2010 ˇStars: CROWE, RUSSELL; BLANCHETT, CATE PHOTO: EAST NEWS/ALBUM

ROBIN HOOD, Russell Crowe (center), 2010. Ph: David Appleby/ŠUniversal/courtesy Everett Collection

ROBIN HOOD, Russell Crowe (foreground center), 2010. Ph: David Appleby/ŠUniversal/courtesy Everett Collection

ROBIN HOOD, Russell Crowe, 2010. Ph: David Appleby/ŠUniversal/courtesy Everett Collection