The Newcastle born player started his Super Rugby career with the Canberra based Brumbies, where he made his debut in the top Southern Emisphere club tournament. After a spell in Melbourne in the top Australian division ARC, Burgess got back in the Super Rugby with the Waratahs in 2008. During his stay in Sydney he made his debut for the Wallabies when he was just 23.
He remained with the New South Wales franchise until 2011, playing alongside another former player of Zebre: fly-half Daniel Halangahu. Burgess was part of the Australian national team winning the Tri Nations in 2011 and, a few months later, gaining the third place at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, the event which ended his international career because of his first transfer in the Europe. In 2011/12 Burgess played in France with 4 times Heineken Cup champions of Stade Toulousain. With the French side he won the Top14 at his first attempt before returning to Australia in the summer of 2013 sigingn with the Melbourne Rebels, the latest franchise to enter the Super Rugby.
The scrum-half has represented the Wallabies on 37 occasions; five times against the Azzurri, twice in Italy in the 2008 and 2010 test matches. In his careeer Burgess had 78 appearances in Super Rugby and also faced the British & Irish Lions in their Australian tour of 2013, defeated 35-0 by them in the test against his Rebels at AAMI Park in Melbourne.
Here's the player card:
Name: Luke
Surname: Burgess
Place of birth: Newcastle (AUS)
Date of birth: 20/08/1983
Height: 179 cm
Weight: 87 kg
Role: Scrum-half
Honours: Australia
Caps: 37
Appearances in Guinness PRO12: 0
Appearances in EPCR Champions Cup: 12
Appearances in EPCR Challenge Cup: 1
Former Clubs: Melbourne Rising (AUS) Stade Toulousain (FRA), NSW Waratahs (AUS), Melbourne Rebels (AUS), Brumbies (AUS)
Official tweet: @Luburge
Luke Burgess on his move to Zebre Rugby in the Guinness PRO12 :"I am very excited to come to Parma and play rugby with Zebre. It is a wonderful step in my career for myself and my family. Zebre is a young club and I know well the unique challenges of young teams".
The former Wallabies scrum-half delivers his guide-lines for this new european rugby career: "Toulouse was an amazing experience for me and made me love European rugby. My experience growing up in the Southern Hemisphere has shaped my rugby a certain way and I feel exposure to European rugby helps me learn more and more about the game. I am desperate to play against the elite of Europe once again"
Burgess has a clear idea of what means rugby for the italians :"I know first hand the passion that exists in Italian Rugby. Playing against the Italian XV on two occasions Padua and Florence showed me what a committed and voracious respect Italians have for rugby. I have had many discussions with Craig McGrath who is coaching in Melbourne. He has played and lived in Italy; he has said many nice things about Zebre and Parma".
Zebre Rugby team manager Andrea De Rossi commented: "Being consistent with the strategy announced by the club board of directors for the next seasons, Burgess is an outstanding player that replaces another one such Leonard to whom the club will always be grateful".
"Together with another undisputed rugby legend like Muliaina, we are certain that Burgess contribution will be of the highest level for the growth of the club both inside and off the field. This is a key sign for our club especially in a particular season as the World Cup one that almost certainly will deprive us of the other two numbers 9 in the international long windows. For this reason it was very important to agree with a scrum-half of great value without commitments with his national team".
The player will be introduced to the italian press on his arrival in Italy in mid August
63x46.png){kind=logo}