No selection shock for Burgess
However, the Rugby League convert said it was anything but a surprise call.
Burgess has been selected at inside centre after just 112 minutes' Test experience in Rugby Union, including one solitary start, since switching from Rugby League to Rugby Union 10 months ago.
He gets his chance after a chest injury to Bath teammate Jonathan Joseph led England coach Stuart Lancaster to rejig his backline for the crunch 'Pool of Death' match at Twickenham on Saturday.
Burgess, asked if he could imagine being in the position he is now after Lancaster named his side on Thursday, told reporters at England's training base in Bagshot, south-west of London: "Yes. I did have a vision of doing it. This is what I wanted to achieve to be part of this squad."
Former England captain Will Carling, himself a former Test centre, was among those critical of Burgess's inclusion in England's original 31-man World Cup squad.
However, Burgess said: "I believe in myself. I feel like I have the respect of my teammates and the staff. That is the opinion that counts for me.
"I have played a lot of rugby at No.12 in the last few months and I feel ready."
The 26-year-old added: "I don't believe what people say. I believe in Stuart and what he has picked.
"My job is to deliver in the job he has given me," insisted Burgess, who bowed out of Rugby League with a man-of-the-match display that saw him play on with a broken cheekbone as the South Sydney Rabbitohs won last year's Australian NRL Grand Final.
Burgess will line-up alongside experienced Saracens back Brad Barritt in midfield, with the duo the 14th different centre pairing selected by Lancaster since he took charge in 2012.
"This is first time we have started together," said Burgess of his partnership with Barritt.
"I feel very comfortable. Inside [the camp], we have rolled around many different combinations. We are comfortable and will be ready."
Burgess will be up against a vastly experienced Wales centre in British and Irish Lion Jamie Roberts.
"Jamie is a great player," he said. "I am looking forward to the battle."
Meanwhile Lancaster was adamant "panic" had not been a factor in a team selection where Owen Farrell has been installed at fly-half, with long-time first-choice No 10 George Ford dropped to the bench following tournament hosts England's 35-11 win over Fiji last week.
In the pack, No.8 Billy Vunipola – who like Farrell and Burgess impressed off the bench against Fiji – starts in place of the injured Ben Morgan (knee).
"There's definitely no panic," Lancaster said.
"I'm backing the players we've picked for the matchday 23.
"Owen contributed well last week against Fiji. He's pushed George hard and I think it's the right time to start him, in a big game like this."
As for Burgess, Lancaster added: "He's more than capable of playing at this level.
"He's not got the international Rugby Union experience, but he's got the big game experience.
"My confidence has grown on the back of what he's done, the way he's come on and contributed off the bench," Lancaster said.
"We scored two tries at the end of the game against Fiji – they were a lot to do with Owen Farrell and Sam Burgess."
Lancaster has selected the most physically imposing midfield available to him, with Exeter playmaker Henry Slade not even on the bench.
However, the coach said: "Don't assume because we've picked the backline we have that all we're going to do is play route one.
"I'd be disappointed if we've spent all this time over the last 12, 18 months, developing our attacking game to just suddenly tuck it up our jumpers and just try to smash our way over the defensive line."
Agence France-Presse
