When one of the great rugby players writes about his “Rugby Life”, you have to sit up and take notice, especially when he just happens to play for your team.  Matt Burke doesn’t pull any punches in his story, but still manages to come over as a nice bloke and a credit to his sport.  Having spent so many years both with his club (Eastwood) and his state (NSW Waratahs), the disappointment of how his Super 12 career was abruptly ended last May comes through eloquently, especially when he knew that he could still do enough of a job to be in the national picture throughout last season’s Tri-Nations campaign.

The book is punctuated with opinions and asides from his great mates within the Aussie set-up, including George Gregan, Mat Rogers and Chris Whitaker, as well as his manager John Fordham and father Bob.  The respect that comes across for his abilities, both as a player and a person, is total.  Burkey also offers his opinions on the key men that he’s had to deal with; Wallaby coaches Greg Smith, Bob Dwyer, Rod Macqueen and Eddie Jones; David Campese, John Eales and Tim Horan; and a very interesting appraisal of a fly-half called Wilkinson.  Not all are complimentary, but every one of them is readable.

The great moments are remembered, mainly against the All Blacks, as well as the frustrations of playing for the ever-underperforming Waratahs.  Reading some of his disappointments with the New South Wales side seems like a mirror image of the struggles that Falcons have endured over the past few seasons.  A veteran of three World Cup campaigns, he takes us through the 1995 disappointment (amusing photo of him about to be tackled by Rob Andrew), then the triumph of 1999 when he set records for most points in both a World Cup semi-final and a final, and then the low of realising that he would play no part in the latter stages of 2003.

All of the injuries are there too (and just in case future opponents are reading, I won’t list them all), and an indication of how rugby is in the professional era, with the players being rushed back sometimes a long way from being ready.

Most interesting to Falcons supporters is the final chapter, where he discusses the move north (Queensland, three of the South African franchises, a French side, an Irish side, and three other Premiership clubs wanted him), and his plans for the future, which appear to indicate that we’ve got one more season of him to enjoy before he returns south.

It’s a very good read, and one that I can firmly recommend.  Even if you’re not a complete Burke freak like me.

Matthew Burke – “A Rugby Life”, published by Pan Macmillan Australia, 10 June 2005.

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