Ian Ritchie has defended the role played by the RFU in Sam Burgess' ill-fated year in rugby union, insisting he had no reason to feel embarrassed by the convert's return to rugby league.

Burgess ended weeks of speculation last Thursday by confirming his switch back to the South Sydney Rabbitohs from Bath, bringing to a close an increasingly unhappy spell in union.

The 26-year-old's involvement in England's disappointing Rugby World Cup campaign dogged Stuart Lancaster in his final weeks as England coach, with many pundits publicly questioning Burgess' place in the squad.

However, RFU chief executive Ritchie maintained that the governing body had no financial involvement in the deal that originally took Burgess to Bath, while Lancaster was under no obligation to pick him.

Sam Burgess' inclusion in England's World Cup squad proved contentious. Chris Lee - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images

"I don't find the Sam Burgess situation in any way embarrassing," Ritchie said. "What we had was one of the leading rugby league players in the world wanting to play rugby union, and I think that's a positive.

"We were delighted he wanted to come, delighted that he came to the country. We did not, just to be clear, pay a sum of money for Sam Burgess to come and there was no insistence on anybody's part at the RFU or with Stuart that he had to be picked.

"He came here because he wanted to, we were delighted that he came. He was trained and coached -- I can only talk about as far as the RFU is concerned -- in absolutely the right way, and I read with interest his own personal comments about this.

"I think as well therefore Sam made that contribution, his selection for the squad was made on the basis of rugby and that was the selection made by the head coach."

Ritchie added: "I do not see how the RFU could have done anything different than we did. Here was a talented athlete and rugby player and he was selected for the squad, and he made a full contribution to training while he was in the squad.

"Everybody can have a view as to whether or not it was the right or wrong call to select him but I don't see what else would have happened during that process, and I feel no embarrassment at all about Sam Burgess."

Ritchie admitted he was "disappointed" that Burgess had decided to return to league but "at the end of the day that has to be a matter for him".