Feats and Playing Style
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 has met with particular success against New Zealand's All Blacks which included scoring one of Australia's greatest Bledisloe Cup tries, in 1996. From a standing start in Brisbane, Burke broke through numerous New Zealand tackles, throwing a dummy to off-balance several other All Blacks, before running 80 metres for a memorable individual try. In 1998 he scored all 24 of the Wallabies points against New Zealand at the MCG, a world record against the All Blacks.
As the Wallaby fullback in 1999, he scored 23 points against the All Blacks at Stadium Australia, 24 points against South Africa in the Rugby World Cup semi final and 25 points against France in the grand final.
Burke's form suffered in games where his goal-kicking ability deserted him and he was afflicted by a serious shoulder injury in 1998. Despite making it back in the squad for the 1999 Rugby World Cup, it has been speculated that the injury affected his playing style.
Burke was retained as vice-captain and goal-kicker for the 2002 season. During that time he kicked a penalty after fulltime to win the Bledisloe Cup in windy conditions at Stadium Australia.
Read more about this topic: Matt Burke
Famous quotes containing the words feats, playing and/or style:
“Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout,
But there is no joy in Mudville—Mighty Casey has struck
out.”
—Ernest Lawrence Thayer (1863–1940)
“I never knew a writer yet who took the smallest pains with his style and was at the same time readable.”
—Samuel Butler (1835–1902)