Matt Burke (rugby union, born 1973)

Last updated

Matt Burke
MATTHEW BURKE (cropped).jpg
Birth nameMatthew Coleman Burke
Date of birth (1973-03-26) 26 March 1973 (age 50)
Place of birthSydney
Height184 cm (6 ft 0 in) [1]
Weight97 kg (15 st 4 lb)
School St. Joseph's College
SpouseKate Burke
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback
Correct as of 2 November 2007
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1990–96
2004–08
Eastwood
Newcastle Falcons
58
59
(373)
(288)
Correct as of 10 July 2014
Provincial / State sides
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1993–04 New South Wales Waratahs [2] 115 (1172)
Correct as of 10 July 2014
Super Rugby
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1996–04 New South Wales Waratahs 78 (959)
Correct as of 10 July 2014
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1993–04
1990–91
Australia [3]
Australian Schoolboys
81
5
(878)
Correct as of 21 August 2004
National sevens team(s)
YearsTeamComps
1993 Australia 1
Correct as of 10 July 2014

Matthew Coleman Burke (born 26 March 1973) is an Australian former international rugby union player and sport presenter on Sydney's 10 News First.

Contents

Burke was a goalkicker and regular try-scorer for the Wallabies who contributed to the team's victories in the 1999 Rugby World Cup, multiple Bledisloe Cups and Australia's sole test series win against the British & Irish Lions in 2001. [4]

When he retired from international rugby in 2004 he was the leading points scorer in the multinational Super Rugby Competition. He is the most-capped fullback [5] and the second highest scorer for Australia in Test rugby. [6]

Early life

Burke grew up in Carlingford, New South Wales, and attended at St Gerard Majella Catholic Primary School, Carlingford and St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill. [7] He was selected for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1990 and toured with the teams to the United States and Ireland. He played his club rugby with Eastwood and maintained his association with the club throughout his career.

Rugby career

Burke progressed to the Australian Under 21s team in 1992 and 1993 at the same time as playing at the Hong Kong Sevens in 1992 and the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 1993. He made his Test debut in 1993 when he played in the third Test against the South African Springboks.

Bledisloe Cup and early Wallabies years

In the national team for two years as the starting fullback and goal-kicker, Burke gained early attention for scoring arguably one of the most impressive tries in Bledisloe Cup history during the second match of the 1996 tournament, held on 27 July at Brisbane's Lang Park. After gathering a low pass from felled teammate Richard Tombs (from a standing start from his own 22-metre line), Burke dodged a total of six defenders culminating with a 'dummy pass' to another teammate Ben Tune – allowing him to cover approximately 75 metres to score a try. The try put Australia ahead 16–9 at half time. Whilst the All Blacks would win with a last minute try to Frank Bunce – this game is particularly remembered for Burke's try. [8]

He just carved up through the middle and nobody touched him between there and the line. To me, it was probably the single most special moment of Bledisloe Cup games that I know – to see that young man score [9]

Chris 'Buddha' Handy, Former player and rugby commentator

In 1997, Burke was excluded from the Wallabies by a groin strain suffered during the domestic season and he was temporarily replaced by Stephen Larkham; then also a goal-kicking fullback. However he returned in time for the first Bledisloe Cup match in 1998, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground where he scored all 24 (2 tries, 1 conversion and 4 penalties) of the Wallabies points against New Zealand. It is an individual point-scoring world record against the All Blacks – which still stands. [10] Australia had not beaten the All Blacks for four years in a single game up to that point and this heralded not only an Australian comeback, but an unprecedented five-year domination of the tournament.

Goal-kicking and shoulder injury

Burke was considered one of the finest test goal-kickers of his day – second, perhaps, to contemporary rival New Zealand kicker Andrew Mehrtens. At a time before it became common in test rugby, Burke was one of the few goal-kickers able to take successful penalty attempts from beyond the half-way line. Yet he was known to have clusters of missed goal-kicking attempts. In the third match of the 1998 Bledisloe Cup, he missed three straightforward kicking attempts in the first half – before being relieved of kicking duties under instruction from Australian Captain John Eales in the second half (being in fact relieved of the goal-kicking by Eales himself). [11] In the dying minutes of that particular march, he gained some measure of redemption by scoring a match-winning try but was also afflicted by a serious shoulder injury [lower-alpha 1] – sidelining him for the better part of the next year.

Rugby World Cup 1999

After undergoing surgery on the affected shoulder, Burke delayed his comeback to the domestic Rugby season, in an attempt to right himself for the 1999 Rugby World Cup. As a result, Burke faced some criticism for NSW's subsequent poor performance in the Super 12 competition that year and also caused tension between himself and NSW Coach Matt Williams. [12] [lower-alpha 2] At test level, he was being relieved by emerging rival Chris Latham, at the fullback position. Despite making it back in the squad in time to contribute to the 1999 Rugby World Cup victory, it has been speculated that this injury affected his counter-attacking playing style and future fitness.

As part of the campaign to "Bring back Bill", [lower-alpha 3] as the starting Wallaby fullback and primary goal-kicker in the 1999 Rugby World Cup, he scored the majority of Australia's points in the last two games to help secure victory [3] – 24 points against South Africa in the Rugby World Cup semi-final and 25 points against France in the grand final. Earlier in 1999, in an echo of the previous year at the MCG, he individually kicked 23 (1 conversion and 7 penalties) points against the All Blacks at Stadium Australia. [3]

Selection battles with Chris Latham

After the 1999 World Cup, Burke had become plagued by ongoing injuries which were severely limiting his recovery and return to form. While his goal kicking and fairly regular try-scoring had saved Australia in many games; his injuries would soon take their toll. [lower-alpha 4] Queensland Reds fullback Chris Latham was soon competing with him for Wallabies selection and Latham was the favoured Australian fullback in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup. [lower-alpha 5] This began the twilight phase of Burke's career where he was switched between various back-line positions before intermittently being recalled to starting fullback. Latham, who had performed strongly at Super Rugby level began his test career with many costly defensive errors at fullback in 2000 and 2001– which initially helped to preserve Burke's place at the number 15 jersey.

Lions series 2001

Burke regained his starting fullback position for the Wallabies in the second test of the 2001 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia, after Latham was dropped for a poor performance in the first game of the series. [13] This was Burke's first start in the number 15 jersey since the 1999 Rugby World Cup and he ended-up playing a starring role in the Australian comeback in the final two games. In the deciding third game, both sides drew on tries and conversions but his five penalties against three by future Newcastle Falcons teammate Jonny Wilkinson left the hosts 29–23 winners at Sydney's Stadium Australia. To date, it is the only Australian series victory over the combined multi-nation British Lions. He was also part of the Wallabies team which beat the New Zealand All-blacks for the first time in 2001 at their traditional stronghold at Carisbrook, Dunedin. [14]

Positional switch to outside centre

Burke was made to switch positions when playing for the Wallabies for most of the remainder of his career – at first to wing, and then to outside centre during a period of continual experimentation with the Wallabies back-line. This was initially done to accommodate both Chris Latham at test level, [lower-alpha 6] and for newly converted former professional rugby league footballer Mat Rogers at the state level for the NSW Waratahs (Rogers later playing fullback for the Wallabies as well while Latham was either benched or playing at wing). [lower-alpha 7] Burke was considered versatile enough to satisfactorily fulfill these roles whilst now primarily considered a specialist kicker. Many commentators said that he was restricted from playing more freely in a counter-attacking role, while not in his favoured fullback position. Burke himself has stated that he always considered himself a fullback and that the decision to switch him to outside centre was a mistake. [lower-alpha 8] [lower-alpha 9]

Complicating matters for national selectors, the Australian National Rugby Team now became saturated with a flurry of traded National Rugby League 'convert' players ready to replace ageing back-line first generation professional players such as Burke (Rugby Union was only made a professional sport in 1996 [lower-alpha 10] ). Burke was otherwise retained as vice-captain and goal-kicker for the 2002 season. That year, he famously kicked a penalty after full-time to win the Bledisloe Cup in windy conditions at Stadium Australia – one of the last times his influence was crucial to the outcome of a match (and incidentally, the last time Australia held the Bledisloe Cup as of 2024).

Rugby World Cup 2003

In 2003 he was given back the starting fullback position, one last time – but ultimately did not perform well enough to retain it. Midway through the 2003 Rugby World Cup he was axed from the starting line-up following a narrow pool win over Ireland (17–16); a match in which he was substituted after 64 minutes. He was replaced by former professional rugby league footballer Mat Rogers, which drew mixed reactions and he would be relegated to the bench for the rest of his test career. By this time Mat Rogers was already the starting goal-kicker (after being brought on the field as a substitute in the world cup pool game against Namibia, Burke was signaled that Rogers was to continue as primary kicker by the coaching staff after attempting to take the ball from him for an attempt at goal [lower-alpha 11] ) and he, along with Chris Latham, had finally emerged as the two preferred fullbacks. Future wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock had also simultaneously become the leading outside centre. Further diminishing the ageing Burke's place on the team was the fact that there were now at least four other recognised goal-kickers in the team – Mortlock, Rogers, Matt Giteau and Elton Flatley – who all admirably performed as replacements to Burke. However Australia, to date, has never again had a regular goal kicker with a similar tenure.

Final year with the Waratahs

In 2004, any hope of rekindling his international career was over when he was controversially completely dropped from his state team, the NSW Waratahs. While he was injured early in that Super 12 season – he still managed to score 62 points from his first six games; placing him ahead of Andrew Mehrtens in the all-time points lead of the Super 12 (now Super Rugby) competition. Yet 'inconsistent performance' was cited as the key reason behind the axing. Others have speculated his age as the reason for Burke's dumping – this is questionable considering NSW simultaneously attempted to 'convert' footballer Andrew Johns from rival code league, despite Johns' and Burke's similar ages. [lower-alpha 12] NSW Coach (and former NSW and Australian teammate) Ewen McKenzie's decision to drop Burke drew ire from many in the union fraternity, including Phil Kearns and Simon Poidevin, who accused McKenzie of disloyalty and being shortsighted. [15]

In a sign of continued bad blood between the two, McKenzie would later ridicule suggestions that Burke would be recalled to the Australian Wallabies in 2007 (see below); describing it as return of the "superannuation crew". Burke responded by deriding McKenzie's apparent "ignorance of British Club Football" – where he was playing at that time. [16] However, Burke would later endorse McKenzie for Wallabies coach prior to his appointment in late 2013. [17]

Despite his expected retirement, Australian Coach Eddie Jones described Burke's axing from the NSW squad as an "independent event" – indicating some use for Burke at test level. Indeed, Burke did appear intermittently as a substitute in various roles, including fullback, for the Wallabies in the 2004 season. He played his last international test for the Wallabies on 21 August 2004 against South Africa, coming off the bench for the final six minutes – where he missed a penalty attempt (Australia lost 23 – 19). In 2006, in his last international appearance, he was starting fullback for the World XV Rugby team against the South African Springboks for their first 2006 game – contributing 17 points (5 pen, 1 con) in their 27 to 30 points loss.

Playing in England

After losing his Super Rugby playing contract with the NSW Waratahs, Burke was offered contracts by eight different clubs – including other teams in the Super Rugby competition. Interested teams reportedly included the Queensland Reds and teams in New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, France and England. [18] Wallaby coach Eddie Jones also kept the door open for further test duty depending on the availability/fitness of certain players for the Wallabies tour of the UK in late 2004, but Burke contradicted this statement by confirming his retirement and stating it was unlikely that he would play test rugby again. [19]

Burke joined the Newcastle Falcons in the English Premiership. Here he has played alongside former English rival Jonny Wilkinson (his opposite kicker in Lions tour of Australia). He has also won the 'Player of the Year' at the Falcons and was named as captain of the side. In February 2007, he obtained a British passport (while retaining Australian citizenship), qualifying through his England-born mother. His main reason for doing so was Guinness Premiership regulations prohibiting teams from having more than one non-European Union citizen on the field at any time. This enabled the Falcons to play him at the same time as New Zealand prop Joe McDonnell. [20]

In 2007, there was again brief speculation that Burke would return as starting fullback for the Wallabies in the Tri-nations and Bledisloe Cup tournament; which would lead up to the world cup. Chris Latham was recovering from knee reconstruction and Mat Rogers had since returned to Rugby League. He was even formally approached by new Wallabies coach John Connolly regarding his availability for that season. [16] Burke rejected this, citing commitments to his Newcastle side in the UK – but did state he would consider another approach regarding the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Burke was not ultimately approached, as Latham had sufficiently recovered. [lower-alpha 13] Had Burke come back to play for Australia – it would have set a new precedent as the ARU have stood firm in only considering Australia-based talent for Test selection since the game went professional in 1996. [lower-alpha 14]

Retirement

In May 2008 Burke announced his immediate retirement from playing after failing to recover from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee suffered the previous October. [22]

Legacy in the game

Owing to Matt Burke's lasting impact in the New South Wales jersey, the Waratahs' Player of the Year is now awarded the Matt Burke Trophy. [23]

In addition to being a leading fullback and playing with the Wallabies for over a decade, Burke's third year as New South Wales Waratahs captain saw him become the first player in the history of Waratah rugby to play over 100 games.

Burke is still Australia's most capped fullback, having played 54 of his 81 Tests in that position. After breaking 1000 career points for NSW in 2003, he has scored 878 Test points for Australia. [24] In Bledisloe Cup contests, he still holds the individual record for total test points against New Zealand (176 points in 17 Tests). [25]

Burke was voted starting fullback in the Wallaby Team of the Decade which celebrated the first ten years of professional rugby union, spanning 1996 to 2005. [26]

Post-rugby sports and media career

Since his retirement, Burke has opened a sports business that specialises in skills sessions for children. In early 2013, Burke joined Network Ten's coverage of the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia, and is an expert commentator for Australia's coverage of the 2013 Rugby Championship.

In October 2013, Burke was appointed as sport presenter on 10 News First in Sydney, after Brad McEwan moved to Melbourne to present sport for 10 News First.

Honours

Notes

  1. He was rolled onto his shoulder whilst landing just over the try-line by desperate New Zealand tackler Christian Cullen [11]
  2. Williams had in fact been a schoolteacher of Burke, years earlier
  3. This was the media campaign to regain the Rugby World Cup, known as the William Webb Ellis Cup after the sport's mythical founder, which Australia had last won in 1991
  4. Burke never regained full function in his injured shoulder and in 2000 he suffered an injury to his ankle. Initially he remained in the national team, but was replaced by Stirling Mortlock in kicking duties. He eventually required an operation, being replaced at fullback by Chris Latham for the rest of the 2000 season.
  5. Latham, whilst originally from Northern NSW, had moved to Queensland to play for the Queensland Reds to further his rugby career due to Burke's incumbency at NSW
  6. Latham having earlier been trialled at wing as well over the 2000–2001 period.
  7. 'Rogers had made it clear to Bob Dwyer and the coaching staff he wanted to play fullback' – M. Burke. A Rugby Life (2006).
  8. "I never thought of myself as a jack-of-trades in the game, yet down the years that's pretty much the way it turned out....Probably I should have stayed at fullback the whole time and just contested that position... – (Matt Burke (2006). Matthew Burke: A Rugby Life. Sydney: Pan Macmillan Publishing. p52)
  9. "I would have preferred to stay at fullback. After all, I hadn't played number 13 since 1995. But I understood the decision had probably already been made. Whatever the reasons behind it – whether it was part of an agreed deal when Rogers had signed – it had been decided" – (Matt Burke (2006). Matthew Burke: A Rugby Life. Sydney: Pan Macmillan Publishing. p249)
  10. Rugby Union, which distinguished itself from league over this issue in the early 1900s, was previously manned with dedicated amateurs up to the top level until professionalism in 1996 enabled top-tier (such as test rugby) players to get paid.
  11. This match is notable for the 142–0 world record scoreline – of which Roger's 42 points is an individual record for points in any test match – a record previously held by Matt Burke. When later writing a newspaper match report, he reflected on why Burke had attempted to take the ball from him for goal-kicking at one point in the match. Rogers stated that he assumed it was a force of habit as opposed to an attempt by Burke to stop his record from being broken. Burke, however in his autobiography, later clarified that Rogers had previously agreed that when Burke was off the bench – he was still to be the primary goal kicker. This informal deal was essentially stifled by the coaching staff that day and helped to signal to Burke that he was now completely supplanted in the Australian team.
  12. Burke, as captain of NSW, had come under some criticism himself for endorsing the pursuit of Andrew Johns when both he and Johns have the same manager – John Fordham.
  13. Latham had in fact criticised the choice of an aging Burke to replace him, stating his support for local talent. Some speculated that this was due to "selfish motives". [21] Burke had explicitly stated in his autobiography that he and Latham had always maintained a cordial, if competitive relationship during their careers.
  14. For this reason, players would go overseas to play in other (more lucrative) club competitions only after they had finished their international career. This is similar to the stance taken by NZ Rugby in response to professionalism to stem a drain of local talent to northern hemisphere competitions (such as France – where player contracts are more generous and have been longstanding prior to the 1996 changes)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia national rugby union team</span> Australia national rugby union team

The Australia national rugby union team, nicknamed the Wallabies, is the representative national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of Australia. The team first played at Sydney in 1899, winning their first test match against the touring British Isles team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New South Wales Waratahs</span> Rugby Union club based in Sydney, NSW, Australia

The New South Wales Waratahs, referred to as the Waratahs, are an Australian professional rugby union team representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super Rugby competition. The Riverina and other southern parts of the state, are represented by the Brumbies, who are based in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Campese</span> Australian rugby union player

David Ian Campese, AM, also known as Campo, is a former Australian rugby union player (1982-1996), who was capped by the Wallabies 101 times, and played 85 Tests at wing and 16 at fullback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Larkham</span> Australian rugby union player and coach

Stephen Larkham is a retired Australian rugby union professional player, currently in the role of head coach for Brumbies. He spent his career with the Brumbies in Super Rugby, for whom he played from the inception of the professional Super 12 in 1996 through 2007. He is best known for his long tenure with the Wallabies at international level, for whom he played 102 times. After initial selection at fullback from 1996 to 1997, Larkham was the first-choice Australian fly-half from 1997 to 2007, playing in the 1999, 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups. He is married to Jacqueline and has two children, Jaimee and Tiahna.

Mathew Steve Rogers is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He also played rugby union at the highest level, becoming a dual-code international.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berrick Barnes</span> Australia international rugby union & league footballer

Berrick Steven Barnes is a former Australian professional rugby union footballer. His usual position is fly-half or inside centre. He is previously played with Japanese Top League clubs Panasonic Wild Knights and the Ricoh Black Rams, as well as in the Super Rugby competition with the NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds. He also played for the Wallabies in international matches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drew Mitchell</span> Australian rugby union player

Drew Alan Mitchell is a former Australian rugby union professional player. He played on the wing or as fullback. Up to the 2006 season he played for the Queensland Reds. He played for the Western Force for the 2007–09 Super 14 seasons. From 2010 to 2013 he played for the New South Wales Waratahs. Since 2013 he has played for RC Toulon. He made his debut for Australia in 2005 and is Australia's highest try scorer in World Cup history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Cheika</span> Australian rugby coach and former player

Michael Cheika is an Australian professional dual-code rugby coach and former player who has been coaching the Argentina national team since 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Dunning</span> Australian rugby union footballer and coach (born 1978)

Matt Dunning is a former Australian rugby union footballer. He played as a prop for the Waratahs and Western Force in Super Rugby, and represented Australia. He coached the Balmain rugby club in Sydney 2013/2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocky Elsom</span> Australia international rugby union player

Rocky Elsom is a former Australian rugby union player. He played the positions of flanker and number eight. He was selected for 75 caps for Australia. He is the most capped Australian blindside flanker. Elsom was the 76th Australian test captain, having replaced Stirling Mortlock in 2009 for two years. He played for the Wallabies from 2005 until 2011. Elsom played professionally for New South Wales, Brumbies and Leinster.

Peter Hewat is a former Australian rugby union player now coaching in Japan's Top League for Ricoh Black Rams. He previously played for the NSW Waratahs Central Coast Rays London Irish and Suntory Sungoliath. On 12 April 2010, it was confirmed that Hewat was leaving London Irish to go play in Japan.

Scott Nicholas Gelling Staniforth is an Australian rugby union footballer.

Michael David O'Connor is an Australian former rugby league and rugby union footballer who represented Australia in both codes. He played for the Wallabies in 13 Tests from 1979 to 1982 and then the Kangaroos in 17 Tests from 1985 to 1990. O'Connor played club football in the NSWRL Premiership for the St. George Dragons from 1983 until 1986, and later the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles from 1987 until his retirement at the end of 1992, becoming captain of Manly in 1990, as well as winning the 1987 Winfield Cup with the Sea Eagles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurtley Beale</span> Rugby player

Kurtley James Beale is an Australian professional rugby union representative player who has made over 90 national representative appearances in a ten-year playing career at the world-class level. He is of Aboriginal descent, has had a long Super Rugby career with the New South Wales Waratahs and has played for the Melbourne Rebels and the Wasps club in England. Beale usually plays at full-back or centre but can play fly-half or winger. In 2011 Beale received the John Eales Medal, awarded to Australian rugby's Player of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lachlan Turner</span> Rugby player

Lachlan 'Lachie' David Turner is an Australian professional rugby union player who retired at the end of 2018 season. In his usual position of wing. He has a strong kicking game, which allows him to also play at fullback.

Ewen James Andrew McKenzie is an Australian professional rugby union coach and a former international rugby player. He played for Australia's World Cup winning team in 1991 and earned 51 caps for the Wallabies during his test career. McKenzie was head coach of the Australian team from 2013 to 2014. He has coached in both southern and northern hemispheres, in Super Rugby for the Waratahs and Reds, and in France at Top 14 side Stade Français. During his playing days he was a prop and, in a representative career spanning from 1987 to 1997, he played nine seasons for the NSW Waratahs and two for the ACT Brumbies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Slade</span> NZ international rugby union player

Colin Richard Slade is a retired New Zealand professional rugby union player. He played primarily at first five-eighth, as well as all other backline positions on occasions. He was first selected for the All Blacks in 2009. He was a key member of the 2011 Rugby World Cup winning team. He was also included in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, but played in only one match against Namibia. He thus became one of only 20 players who have won the Rugby World Cup on multiple occasions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beauden Barrett</span> New Zealand rugby union player (born 1991)

Beauden John Barrett is a New Zealand professional rugby union player who plays as a Fly half for Japan Rugby League One club Toyota Verblitz and for the New Zealand national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Foley</span> Australian rugby player of Irish descent

Bernard Foley is an Australian rugby player of Irish descent. He plays professionally for the Australia national rugby team and the New South Wales Waratahs in Super Rugby. He can cover both fullback and fly-half as well as inside centre. Foley has earned the nickname "the iceman" after successful game winning penalty goals, 2 August 2014, 18 October 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damian McKenzie</span> Rugby player

Damian Sinclair McKenzie is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays fullback or First five-eighth for Waikato in the Bunnings NPC competition and Chiefs in super rugby. McKenzie has played 40 tests for New Zealand since his international debut in 2016.

References

  1. "2001 Australian Wallabies squad – British & Irish Lions Tour". rugby.com.au. Australian Rugby Union. Archived from the original on 22 September 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  2. "Statistics > All-Time Player List". Waratahs Rugby. Archived from the original on 26 April 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 "Matt Burke Player Profile". ESPN Rugby Scrum. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  4. Barclay, Tom (2 September 2011). "Greatest Rugby World Cup XV: Full-back profiles – Matt Burke". The Telegraph (UK). Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  5. "Video postcards from the Australian rugby stars". UK Telegraph Online. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  6. "Wallabies look to finish with Wales flourish". Australian Associated Press. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  7. Burke, M. (2006). A Rugby Life. p. 5.
  8. Reg', 'Rugby. "Great Tries – Matthew Burke v. NZL (1996)". Green & Gold Rugby. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  9. Burke, M. (2006). A Rugby Life. p. 126.
  10. Payten, Iain. "Wallaby Bledisloe Cup heroes". News.com.au News Ltd. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  11. 1 2 "1998 Bledisloe Cup Game 3 – Archived Footage". NZ – One Sport. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  12. Burke, M. (2006). A Ruby Life. pp. 164–166.
  13. Reg', 'Rugby. "Australia Greatest Fullback 2000–2009". Green & Gold Rugby. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  14. Burke, M. (2006). A Rugby Life. p. 235.
  15. Burke, M. (2006). A Rugby Life. p. 331.
  16. 1 2 "Burke could still be Cup surprise". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 17 March 2007. Retrieved 16 March 2007.
  17. "McKenzie 'may do deal' says Burke". Sports Fan Web. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  18. Burke, M. (2006). A Rugby Life. pp. 344–345.
  19. "Matt Burke Ready for Challenge at the Falcons". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  20. "Burke becomes a Brit!". Planet-Rugby.com. 8 February 2007. Archived from the original on 5 November 2007.
  21. "Burke could still be Cup surprise". SMH. Archived from the original on 17 March 2007. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  22. Burke's career is ended by injury BBC Sport
  23. "Phil Waugh wins Matt Burke Cup on an Emotional Night". NSW Rugby. Archived from the original on 16 April 2005. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  24. "Matthew C. Burke Rugby Statistics". ESPN Rugby Scrum. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  25. Reg', 'Rugby. "Bledisloe Cup Statistics". Green & Gold Rugby. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  26. "Wallabies name 'Team of the Decade'". BREAKing News. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  27. Burke, M (2006). A Rugby Life. Appendix 2.