Jump to content

Fergus Burke

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fergus Burke
Date of birth (1999-09-03) 3 September 1999 (age 25)
Place of birthGisborne, New Zealand
Height189 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight95 kg (209 lb; 14 st 13 lb)
SchoolSt Paul's Collegiate School
UniversityUniversity of Canterbury
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half, Full-back
Current team Saracens
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019–2024 Canterbury 37 (389)
2024– Saracens 10 (71)
Correct as of 5 January 2025
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2020–2024 Crusaders 42 (134)
Correct as of 5 January 2025
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019 New Zealand U20 6 (26)
2024 Barbarians 1 (0)
2025 Scotland 0 (0)
Correct as of 15 January 2025

Fergus Burke (born 3 September 1999)[1] is a New Zealand-born professional rugby union player, currently playing at fly-half for Premiership Rugby club Saracens in England.[2] He previously played for the Crusaders in Super Rugby, and Canterbury in the National Provincial Championship (NPC).[3]

Early life

[edit]

Burke was born in Gisborne, New Zealand, to an English mother, Julie, and a New Zealander father, Richard.[4] He has one sibling, an older sister named Georgia.[5] He began playing rugby union at the age of five,[6] but focused on playing football for much of his childhood, before returning to rugby in his teenage years, when he attended St Paul's Collegiate School in Hamilton.[7] Playing primarily as a fly-half, he featured in his school's first team for several seasons, competing in the Central North Island High School Championship.[8] He won the title in 2016, after scoring half of his team's points in the final.[9]

After high school, Burke was selected for the Chiefs under-18 team.[10] However, he was spotted during a pre-season training camp by the Crusaders, who recruited him into their academy.[7] He then moved to Canterbury where, in addition to rugby training, he studied for a business degree at the University of Canterbury. He initially played for the Crusaders under-18s team, followed by the Canterbury under-19s team.[11]

Club career

[edit]

New Zealand

[edit]

In 2019, Burke began training with the Crusaders professional squad,[12] before being named to the Canterbury provincial senior squad for the National Provincial Championship (NPC).[13] He made his NPC debut on 10 August 2019, against Waikato. In total, he played 10 games in his first NPC season, with two starts.[14]

Following his provincial debut, Burke was selected by the Crusaders to play in the 2020 Super Rugby season,[15] operating as the third-choice fly-half behind Richie Mo'unga and Brett Cameron.[7] He made his Super Rugby debut on 14 March 2020, coming on as a substitute against Japanese franchise Sunwolves, and scored nine points, including a try.[16] This was his only game with the Crusaders in 2020, as the competition was suspended shortly afterwards, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and he did not feature in Super Rugby Aotearoa.[17] However, he appeared regularly for Canterbury in the NPC that year.[18]

In the 2021 Super Rugby season, Burke established himself as the preferred understudy to Mo'unga with the Crusaders, and played a total of eight games.[17] He made his first start for the franchise on 4 June 2021, against Western Force.[19]

For the 2022 Super Rugby season, Burke took advantage of Mo'unga's absence at the beginning of the campaign to make several starting appearances.[20] He played a total of nine games during the season, including five as a starter,[21] although he did not participate in the knockout stages, as the team won the title. That same year, he also enjoyed a major role in Canterbury's run to the final of the 2022 NPC, finishing as the competition's top scorer, with 147 points.[22] Subsequently, Burke extended his contract with the Crusaders until 2024.[23]

Burke became a regular starter for the Crusaders in the 2023 Super Rugby season, although he played primarily at full-back, with Mo'unga continuing as the starting outside half.[24] Across the year, Burke featured in a total of 17 matches for the franchise, which included involvements in all of the team's play-off matches, culminating in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific final, which the Crusaders won 25–20 against the Chiefs to claim the title.[25] He also recorded a further 10 starting appearances for Canterbury, almost all of which were in the fly-half position, in the 2023 NPC.[26]

Prior to the 2024 Super Rugby season, Burke had been expected to take over the starting fly-half berth at the Crusaders, following Mo'unga's departure to Japan Rugby League One team Brave Lupus Tokyo.[5] However, he was ruled out for several months by injury, after sustaining an Achilles tendon rupture in late 2023.[27] As a consequence of the lengthy recovery time, Burke made just three full appearances for the franchise over that season.[28]

Saracens

[edit]

In 2024, Burke departed the Crusaders and moved to England to join Saracens on a long-term contract,[29] replacing outgoing fly-half and captain Owen Farrell.[30] Following his first appearances for the club in two pre-season fixtures,[31] he made his competitive debut as a starter in the opening round of the 2024–25 Premiership,[32] kicking 10 points at goal during a win against Gloucester on 21 September 2024.[33] This was followed by a European Champions Cup debut on 7 December 2024, when Burke started and scored seven points in a pool stage victory against the Bulls.[34]

International career

[edit]

Burke represented the New Zealand Barbarians Schoolboys in 2017.[35] He notably faced the Māori All Blacks under-18s team.[36]

In 2019, Burke was selected for the New Zealand under-20s,[6] making two appearances at the Oceania Junior Championship.[37] He was then chosen for the U20s squad to compete at the 2019 World Junior Championship in Argentina,[38] and played four games at the tournament.[39]

Although he represented New Zealand at junior level, Burke also qualifies via ancestry, under the World Rugby selection eligibility criteria, to play for England or Scotland,[40] through his Dover-born mother and Glasgow-born grandfather, respectively.[41]

In June 2024, Burke was included in the Barbarians squad for an international friendly fixture against Fiji at Twickenham Stadium in London.[42] He played the full 80 minutes of the match, helping the team to claim the Killik Cup with a 45–32 win.[43]

On 15th January 2025, Burke was called up to the Scotland squad for the 2025 Six Nations Championship [44]

Reference list

[edit]
  1. ^ "Fergus Burke". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  2. ^ "Fergus Burke". ESPN. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  3. ^ "Crusaders announce new-look 2020 Investec Super Rugby squad" (Press release). Crusaders. 12 November 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  4. ^ "Meet Fergus Burke, the fly half replacing Owen Farrell at Saracens". www.thetimes.com. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  5. ^ a b "From Makauri School football star to Super Rugby champion". www.gisborneherald.co.nz. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Late start no problem". www.gisborneherald.co.nz. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  7. ^ a b c "Super Rugby: How promising North Islander Fergus Burke landed at the Crusaders". www.stuff.co.nz. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Jockeying For Position In Central North Island". www.collegesportmedia.co.nz. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Rugby: National First XV results". www.nzherald.co.nz. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Rotorua boys make Chiefs U18 squad". www.nzherald.co.nz. 21 June 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  11. ^ "Junior Steamers claim U19 title Island". www.clubrugby.co.nz. 16 September 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Super Rugby: Crusaders coaches reunited with Scott Hansen named as new assistant". www.stuff.co.nz. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  13. ^ "5 players to watch: Canterbury". www.allblacks.com. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  14. ^ "Mitre 10 Cup: Tim Bateman reveals future plans as playing career winds down". www.stuff.co.nz. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  15. ^ "Rugby: World Cup 2023 bolters? The next possible All Blacks stars". www.nzherald.co.nz. 14 December 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  16. ^ "Brett Cameron to start for the Crusaders while Fergus Burke lines up on the bench for Super Rugby debut". www.rugbypass.com. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  17. ^ a b "'I'm ready': Fergus Burke not feeling the heat filling in for Richie Mo'unga". www.stuff.co.nz. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  18. ^ "Mitre 10 Cup: Canterbury cruise past Manawatū to top premiership". www.stuff.co.nz. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  19. ^ "Big night tonight for Fergus Burke". www.gisborneherald.co.nz. 5 June 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  20. ^ "Onus goes on young Crusader Fergus Burke ahead of biggest start of his career". www.stuff.co.nz. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  21. ^ "Crusader first five Fergus Burke taking his starting opportunity with Mo'unga absent". www.rugbypass.com. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  22. ^ "Fergus Burke's hot form lifting Canterbury ahead of Wellington showdown". www.stuff.co.nz. 21 October 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  23. ^ "Fergus Burke Re-Signs for Crusaders". www.hugerugby.news. 25 October 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  24. ^ "Why Fergus Burke could be the Crusaders' 'solution at fullback'". www.rugbypass.com. 13 March 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  25. ^ "Super Rugby Pacific final: Crusaders claim 25-20 victory over Chiefs to win seventh straight title". www.skysports.com. 24 June 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  26. ^ "Fergus BURKE: profile and stats". all.rugby. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  27. ^ "Optimism Crusader Fergus Burke won't miss entire Super Rugby campaign with Achilles injury". www.stuff.co.nz. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  28. ^ "Crusaders stun Blues to keep Super playoff hopes alive". super.rugby. 25 May 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  29. ^ "Fergus Burke: Saracens agree deal with Crusaders fly-half". www.bbc.co.uk/sport. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  30. ^ "Fergus Burke: 'Owen Farrell was awesome but I've got to be my own player'". www.theguardian.com. 27 September 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  31. ^ "If Fergus Burke proves an astute signing, Saracens will take some stopping". www.thetimes.com. 15 September 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  32. ^ Bradshaw, Tom (21 September 2024). "Steely Maro Itoje gives his side new life as post-Owen Farrell era begins". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  33. ^ "Premiership: Gloucester 26-35 Saracens - Sarries open season with win". www.bbc.co.uk/sport. 21 September 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  34. ^ "Saracens 27-5 Bulls: George and Earl tries help Sarries to Investec Champions Cup win". BBC Sport. 7 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  35. ^ "TBHS captain Cullen Grace makes NZ Schools side to tour Australia". www.stuff.co.nz. 26 September 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  36. ^ "Watch: Aaron Cruden's brother duels the next Beauden Barrett". www.rugbypass.com. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  37. ^ "NZ Under 20s named for Oceania opener". www.allblacks.com. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  38. ^ "NZ Under 20 squad named for World Rugby Championship". www.allblacks.com. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  39. ^ "France defend U20 Championship title after Rosario thriller". www.world.rugby. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  40. ^ "New Saracens signing Fergus Burke reveals international ambitions". www.independent.co.uk. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  41. ^ "The Fergus Burke test and rugby's free market". www.rugbypass.com. 31 December 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  42. ^ "Twickenham crowd to get first glimpse of Farrell's successor". www.thetimes.com. 21 June 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  43. ^ "Fergus Burke adds a touch of Gisborne to Barbarians team". www.nzherald.co.nz. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  44. ^ "Saracens' Burke in Scotland's Six Nations squad". www.bbc.co.uk/sport. 15 January 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
[edit]
Retrieved from "http://en.wiki.x.io/w/index.php?title=Fergus_Burke&oldid=1269621843"