Luke Burgess

One of the ‘finds’ of the 2008 season, LUKE BURGESS capped a meteoric rise when he made his Test debut against Ireland in June, less than 12 months after he had linked with the Waratahs. The Maitland-product headed north in mid-2007 after spending four seasons with the Brumbies in Super 14, and made an immediate impact: firstly by helping Eastern Suburbs to their first Grand Final berth in 16 years of Club Rugby. He then featured in 10 of the Waratahs’ 15 matches as the side advanced to its second Investec Super rugby final in four years. A member of the Melbourne Rebels in the 2007 Australian Rugby Championships, Burgess had long been touted for higher international senior honours after he appeared for the Australian Under-21 side in 2004.

Burgess was a central figure for the Qantas Wallabies, starting in the first six Tests of the year, five of which were won, before a knee injury sustained during a training accident prior to the team’s departure for South Africa, robbed him of a successful conclusion to the Tri-Nations. This was not the first time injury had intervened at a cruel time in the Burgess career. In 2006, he was leading the vote in the race for the Ken Catchpole Medal for Eastern Suburbs until a foot injury sidelined him mid-season. Burgess completed a busy year by joining lock Mark Chisholm and utility forward Dean Mumm as the only players to feature in every match on the Spring Tour.

2004   Member of Australian Under 21 Squad who placed fourth at iRB World Championships; played with Canberra Vikings in Tooheys New Cup; joined Brumbies in Super 14, becoming the youngest of four scrumhalves in the squad.

2005   Super Rugby debut for Brumbies v Hurricanes late in season.

2006   Named in Wallabies train-on squad prior to Tri Nations; captained Brumby Runners to win over NSW A in April; contender for the Ken Catchpole Medal with Eastern Suburbs, leading the vote until sidelined with a foot-injury mid-season.

2007   Member of Eastern Suburbs Club team in their first Grand Final appearance in 16 years; called into Wallabies train-on squad prior to Tri Nations.

2008   Featured in 10 matches for the Waratahs as the side made the Investec Super 14 final, before being named as a starting Wallaby in the team’s opening six Tests. Sidelined by a knee injury the day before the team departed for its Tri-Nations tour of South Africa. He recovered to feature in every match played by the side on the Spring Tour, starting in all five Test matches.