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Peter Burke

1927 – 2017

New Zealand rugby union player

Rugby union player Rugby union coachRugby union executive
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About Peter Burke

Lived 1927 – 2017 (aged 90). Peter Burke was a New Zealand rugby union player, rugby union coach and rugby union executive.

Peter Standish Burke (22 September 1927 – 2 October 2017) was a New Zealand rugby union player, coach and administrator. A lock and number 8, Burke represented , and at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, in 1951, 1955 and 1957. He played 12 matches for the All Blacks including three internationals.

After retiring as a player, Burke went on to contribute to rugby as a selector, coach and administrator. He was a Taranaki selector from 1960 to 1968, and assistant coach of that union from 1963 to 1965. He also served as president of the Taranaki Rugby Union. From 1970 to 1975 he was a North Island selector and he became a New Zealand selector in 1978. Burke was the All Blacks coach during the 1981 Springbok Tour and also for the tour of Romania and France later that year. In 1994 he served as president of the New Zealand Rugby Union.

The Peter Burke Trophy, named in Burke's honour, is contested between the Bay of Plenty and Taranaki representative rugby union teams.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Tauranga Boys' College
Also known as
Peter Standish Burke

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Peter Burke's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Peter Burke?

New Zealand rugby union player (1927-2017)

When was Peter Burke born?

Peter Burke was born on 22 September 1927 in Tauranga.

When did Peter Burke die?

Peter Burke died on 2 October 2017 in New Plymouth.

What was Peter Burke's occupation?

Peter Burke was a rugby union player, rugby union coach and rugby union executive.

What nationality was Peter Burke?

Peter Burke was New Zealand.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Peter Burke

· Wikidata: Q21005232

· DBpedia: Peter Burke (rugby union)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Peter Burke. https://biography.guide/peter-burke-rugby-union-player/

MLA: "Peter Burke." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/peter-burke-rugby-union-player/.

Chicago: "Peter Burke." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/peter-burke-rugby-union-player/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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