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Matthew Burke

Matt Burke
MATTHEW BURKE (cropped).jpg
Full name Matthew Coleman Burke
Date of birth (1973-03-26) 26 March 1973 (age 44)
Place of birth Sydney, New South Wales
Height 184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 97 kg (15 st 4 lb)
School St. Joseph's College
Spouse Kate Burke
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback
Correct as of 2 November 2007
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1990–96
2004–08
Eastwood
Newcastle Falcons
58
59
(373)
(288)
Correct as of 10 July 2014
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1993–04 New South Wales Waratahs 115 (1172)
Correct as of 10 July 2014
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
1996–04 New South Wales Waratahs 78 (959)
Correct as of 10 July 2014
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1993–04
1990–91
Australia
Australian Schoolboys
81
5
(878)
Correct as of 21 August 2004
National team(s)
Years Team Comps
1993 Australia 1
Correct as of 10 July 2014
Position(s) Fullback
Correct as of 2 November 2007
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1990–96
2004–08
Eastwood
Newcastle Falcons
58
59
(373)
(288)
Correct as of 10 July 2014
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1993–04 New South Wales Waratahs 115 (1172)
Correct as of 10 July 2014
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
1996–04 New South Wales Waratahs 78 (959)
Correct as of 10 July 2014
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1993–04
1990–91
Australia
Australian Schoolboys
81
5
(878)
Correct as of 21 August 2004
National team(s)
Years Team Comps
1993 Australia 1
Correct as of 10 July 2014

Matthew Burke (born 26 March 1973) is an Australian former international rugby union player and current sports presenter on Sydney's Ten Eyewitness News. He was considered to be the best rugby fullback in the world by some commentators during an era of Australian success in the late 1990s and early 2000s, ahead of notable contemporaries such as New Zealand All Blacks fullback Christian Cullen.

Burke is otherwise remembered as a point-scoring goal kicker 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 Test series win against the British and Irish Lions in 2001. At one stage of his career, he held at least 10 different points records in test rugby alone. In 1999, as part of celebrations to mark 125 years of Australian Rugby, a panel of experts rated him the best fullback in Australian Rugby history.

When he retired from international rugby in 2004 he was the leading points scorer in the multinational Super Rugby Competition. He is still the most capped fullback and the second highest all time scorer for Australia in international Test rugby.

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. 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.


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