Australian Schools rugby championships: Wallaby Matt Burke’s daughter Edie making mark
She’s already on a fast track to success but if this young rugby star ever needs some advice or a session at the park she doesn’t have to look further than her former Wallaby father.
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Teenager Edie Burke has inherited more than just a passing resemblance to her father, former Australian Wallabies star Matt Burke.
The 18-year-old also has his athleticism, turn of pace, passion for the game and ambition.
“I’d love to play at the Olympics one day, that’s the big goal,” said the Sevens speedster named in the NSW I team for the Australian schools rugby championships at Knox this week.
The Newport schoolgirl, her teammates and rivals in the girls under 16 and under 18 competitions will be part of history when they take the field on Thursday as the first girls to have ever played at the famous junior rugby event.
DAY 2: HISTORY MADE, COMP AMPS UP
“It’s pretty cool. It feels good to be part of that,” said Barker College student Burke who also plays touch football.
“I actually got into Sevens to keep up my fitness for touch at the start, just for a bit of fun.
“The I started taking it more seriously and started to concentrate on the Sevens more than touch.
Matt Burke was a legendary fullback for Australia who also played some Sevens rugby in his time and made his Wallabies debut in 1993.
Burke, who played for the Eastwood club, was famously part of the Wallabies team that won the 1999 World Cup for Australia.
“It helps having dad,’’ Burke said. “We’d go to the park, especially in lockdown, and kick every day.
“I’d get the programs from rugby and I’d make him do them with me.
“He gives me great advice. He doesn’t sugar coat anything.’’
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An Australian Schools ‘Australia A’ representative boys team and Australian Schools 7’s Girls Merit Teams (Open & U16) will be selected from athletes competing at the tournament this week.
The open girls team will be invited by Rugby Australia to attend a national training camp to be eligible for Australian U18 selection.
NSWSRU 1 OPEN SCHOOL TEAM
Sophia Addington Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus, Edie Burke Barker College, Ella Carlie Central Coast Sports College, Anaia Cruickshank Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus, Milla Elaro Westfields Sports High School, Georgia Grey Monte Sant Angelo Mercy College, North Sydney, Martha Harvey Narrabri High School, Ella Koster Illawarra Sports High School, Lailani Montgomery St Peter’s Catholic College, Tuggerah, Aliyah Nasio Kingswood High School, Ruby Nicholas Pymble Ladies College, Charlie Norton Hunter Sports High School, Shaye Shipton Bulli High School, Piper Simons Stella Maris College, Manly.
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Originally published as Australian Schools rugby championships: Wallaby Matt Burke’s daughter Edie making mark
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