Bugle simply ‘irreplaceable’
Peter Burke, who both played for and coached the All Blacks, has died. The Taranaki rugby stalwart was 90.
Burke, who played three tests among his 12 matches for the All Blacks in the 1950s, coached the national side to victory in the controversial 1981 Springboks series tour of New Zealand. He was also at the helm for the All Blacks’ tour of France later that year.
He died peacefully on Monday at his home in New Plymouth in the care of his three daughters.
New Zealand Rugby chairman Brent Impey said Burke’s contribution to the game was immense.
‘‘After a dedicated playing career, Peter continued his involvement for decades to follow as a coach and administrator; our game is better off because of men like Peter.
‘‘Our thoughts are with his family and the Taranaki rugby community at this time,’’ said Impey.
Burke, who played at lock and No 8, turned out in 117 matches for Taranaki and was a vital part of their 1958 Ranfurly Shielddefending season, captaining the side as they fought off nine challenges in the year.
He brought up his 100th match in the Amber and Black during that season, becoming the first Taranaki representative to achieve the feat.
Taranaki Rugby Union chairman Lindsay Thomson said Burke reached the pinnacle of his career in Taranaki.
‘‘Both winning the Ranfurly Shield and making the All Blacks,’’ he said. Born in Tauranga, Burke began his career with Bay of Plenty in 1946, before playing the following year with Auckland, then finding a home in Taranaki from 1948-1959, representing Stratford, Hawera and Tukapa at club level over the years.
He captained the Amber and Black for a lengthy period, including the Ranfurly Shield era of 1957-59 and in a 3-all draw with the Springboks in 1956.
It was during this time he earned a call up to the All Blacks. Despite being nationally regarded, he only had a stop-start tenure in the black jersey. He received his first stint in 1951, then another in
1955 and finally in 1957. He was All Black No 534.
In 1959, after 13 successful Shield defences between 1957-59, Taranaki lost the log of wood to Southland and Burke retired soon after at the age of 32. However, he remained close to the organisation, as an assistant coach from
1963-1965.
For his services to the sport, he was appointed an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1997, and has a trophy named after him, which the Taranaki and Bay of Plenty provincial sides play for.
Thomson said Burke had an ‘‘undying love for the sport,’’ becoming the club’s first patron in the mid-2000s and continuing to attend both club and provincial matches regularly until his health wouldn’t allow it.
‘‘He loved nothing more than talking to people and talking rugby.
‘‘He’s irreplaceable. It’s always hard to use the word legend, but to Taranaki rugby that’s what Peter was.’’
But it’s not just rugby he’s irreplaceable to.
Burke’s daughters Liz Clegg, Cheryl Foreman and Helen Burke said he was a fun-loving dad who encouraged them in everything they did.
They said outside of rugby, spending time with his family was the most important thing to him.
They remembered great days at the beach and fun around the piano which their late mother and Burke’s wife Betty would play.
He had seven grandkids and four great-grandkids.
A celebration of Burke’s life will be held at the PWC Legends Lounge at Yarrow Stadium on Thursday.