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Peter Burke is the Forrest Gump of New Zealand and Taranaki rugby.
For five decades he has been on the spot for remarkable moments of the sport's national and provincial history.
Now aged 75, the New Plymouth man can sit back and reflect on a remarkable career, during which he:
- Was named in the All Blacks of 1950, 1951, 1955 and 1957.
- Became the first man to play 100 games of representative rugby for Taranaki (reached in 1956).
- He captained the Taranaki team to a 3-3 draw with South Africa during the Springboks' 1956 tour of New Zealand.
- Led the Taranaki team to take the Ranfurly Shield off Otago in 1957.
- Remained Taranaki captain to defend the Shield for the Fabulous Winter of 1958.
- Was a Taranaki selector during the Ranfurly Shield glory years of 1963-65.
- Has been a North Island and New Zealand rugby selector.
- Coached the All Blacks in 1981-82, including during the controversial Springboks tour.
- Was elected president of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union in 1994.
- Received a New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for his services to rugby in 1997.
Returning Hero: Peter Burke is greeted by Taranaki Rugby Football Union Chairman Hughie Gilhooly outside New Plymouth's State Hotel in 1957.
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| | | BOOK RESOURCES
100 Years of Taranaki Rugby 1885-1985, (1985), New Plymouth: Taranaki Rugby Union
Ranfurly Record: The Story of Two Successful Shield Tenures, (1965), New Plymouth: Taranaki Newspapers
Horner, Frank, Lawn Mowers, (1971), Sydney, Scientific Publications
Macdonald, Finlay, The Game of our Lives: The Story of Rugby and New Zealand and how they've Shaped Each Other, (1996), Auckland: Viking
Palenski, Ron, The Jersey: The Pride and the Passion, the Guts and the Glory: What it means to wear the All Black jersey, (2001), Auckland: Hodder Moa Beckett
Swan, Arthur C., History of New Zealand Rugby Football, (1992), Auckland: Moa
Publishers for the New Zealand Rugby Football Union
The Log o' Wood: A Video Extravaganza of Rugby's most Dramatic Ranfurly Shield Games, Video, (1998), Television New Zealand
ARTEFACT RESOURCES
Blazer: All Black Rugby Blazer
ARCHIVES
Cartoons by Murray Moorehead "All Blacks can laugh too"
WEBLINKS
Puke Ariki is not responsible for the content of these external websites.
Taranaki Rugby Football Union – the official site
All Blacks Information – the official site
Peter Burke's All Black Career - New Zealand Rugby site with a profile of Burke
The Ranfurly Shield - site dedicated to the history of "The Log of Wood"
RELATED TARANAKI STORIES
Graham Mourie - a Man of Conscience
Ferdinand the Bull - Tale of a Mascot
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