Matt Burke Tribute

Matt Burke is a former Australian fullback who helped his country win the World Cup in 1999 scoring 25 points in the final. He represented the Wallabies at numerous age-grade levels and joined Sydney outfit, Eastwood, before playing in the final of the 1993 World Cup Sevens tournament. He made his Test debut in the same year against South Africa as a replacement in Sydney in a 19-12 victory.

Many of Burke's greatest performances came against New Zealand and in a Bledisloe Cup match in 1996 he ran 70 metres to score a memorable individual try. Two years later he continued to be a scourge against the All Blacks when he scored all 24 points in a victory for the Wallabies.

The following year Burke enjoyed his greatest moment on the rugby field when he won the World Cup. In a tense affair against South Africa in the semi-final he booted eight penalties and he kicked 25 points in the final as Australia beat France to claim their second World Cup at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Two years after the World Cup win he was part of the Australian side that won the series against the British & Irish Lions in 2001. In the deciding Test he kicked five penalties and two conversions to win the series 2-1 in Sydney.

In the 2003 World Cup on home soil, Burke was dropped from the side after a narrow 17-16 victory over Ireland and spent most of his remaining games in a Wallabies shirt on the bench.

The following year Burke played his last Test for Australia and was not offered a contract by New South Wales Waratahs, a club he had been associated with for eight years. He decided to join Newcastle Falcons after numerous offers from around the world and was a popular figure at the club winning the 'Player of the Year' before retiring in 2008.

He represented the World XV in 2006 and was chosen at fullback in the 'Wallaby Team of the Decade'. Since his retirement he has opened a sports business, which specialises in skills sessions for children.