Put simply, he’s an Australian legend. 25 points in a World Cup Final winning side would have guaranteed that anyway, but Matthew Burke has done so much more that that in his career. The record points scorer in Super 12 with 959 points; 81 Australian caps; the first player in the history of the New South Wales Waratahs to play over 10 games; and even the Player’s Award at the Waratahs has been named the Matthew Burke Cup.

For the past 14 years, Burke has been wearing a Wallaby jersey, graduating from the schoolboys’ tour of the UK and Ireland in 1990, to under 21 honours in 1992, to being a part of the beaten finalists side in the 1993 World Cup Sevens, and then to a first full international against South Africa later that year.

His goal kicking has been prodigious throughout his career; not only does he hold that Super 12 record, but he is the second highest points scorer of all time for the Aussies with 888, he holds the record for most points in a match against New Zealand (24), and followed 24 points in the 1999 World Cup semi-final against the Springboks with 25 to beat France in the final.

His main position, and where he has played for most of his career, is full back, but Burke is equally adept at outside centre. He’s been a welcome addition at Kingston Park, and spectators around the country have been both relishing and enjoying the chance to see world rugby’s best full back in recent years plying his trade in the Zurich Premiership.