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Peter Burge (rugby)
Encyclopedia
Peter Harold Boyne Burge (14 February 1884 – July 1956) was an Australia
n rugby football
er and coach. He represented his country in both rugby league
and rugby union
. The the eldest of the four Burge brothers
, Peter was one of the first Australian dual-code rugby internationals.
with South Sydney in 1904 the twenty-year old Burge was selected for the Metropolis (City) representative side against the Great Britain tourists. When the All Blacks
toured in 1905 Burge played against them firstly for Metropolis and then in a New South Wales
side.
Burge, a lock claimed a total of three international rugby caps for Australia. In two of these matches, he served as captain. His debut game was against New Zealand, at Sydney, on 20 July 1907. He made two rugby union
tours, to New Zealand
in 1905 with the first full Australian team and later on the epic 1908-09 Australia rugby union tour of the British Isles and France under captain Paddy Moran
. On both trips he only played one game due to injury. On the Wallaby tour of 1908 he broke his tibia in his first match against Devon. He took no further part in the tour and one of the replacements sent over to fill the touring squad was his brother Albert Burge
.
, Charles McMurtie, "Boxer" Russell
and Arthur McCabe
who defected to rugby league
after their return from the Olympics and the epic tour. In Burge's case he joined his brother Alby in the 1909 "Wallabies v Kangaroos" promotional match which then disqualified him from the amateur code.
He joined the South Sydney Rabbitohs
in 1910 but then the following year linked with Albert and Frank
at Glebe. He toured Great Britain with the 1911-12 Kangaroos, captained by his former Wallaby and then Glebe captain, Chris McKivat
. He made four tour matches appearances for Australia.
Along with McMurtie and Bob Stuart
, Peter Burge made his international league debut in a tour match on that 1911 tour but did not play in any Tests. Collectively they were therefore Australia's 17th to 19th dual-code rugby internationals.
Like Frank Burge had done in 1927, Peter in 1937 coached the St. George Dragons
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rugby football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
er and coach. He represented his country in both rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. The the eldest of the four Burge brothers
Burge Family
Frank, Peter, Albert and Laidley Burge were an Australian family of footballing brothers who represented Australia at rugby union and rugby league between 1907 and 1922.*Frank Burge*Peter Burge*Albert Burge*Laidley Burge...
, Peter was one of the first Australian dual-code rugby internationals.
Rugby union career
Playing rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
with South Sydney in 1904 the twenty-year old Burge was selected for the Metropolis (City) representative side against the Great Britain tourists. When the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
toured in 1905 Burge played against them firstly for Metropolis and then in a New South Wales
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
side.
Burge, a lock claimed a total of three international rugby caps for Australia. In two of these matches, he served as captain. His debut game was against New Zealand, at Sydney, on 20 July 1907. He made two rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
tours, to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1905 with the first full Australian team and later on the epic 1908-09 Australia rugby union tour of the British Isles and France under captain Paddy Moran
Herbert Moran
Herbert Michael "Paddy" Moran was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative flanker who captained the Wallabies' on their first overseas tour in 1908-09.-Early years:...
. On both trips he only played one game due to injury. On the Wallaby tour of 1908 he broke his tibia in his first match against Devon. He took no further part in the tour and one of the replacements sent over to fill the touring squad was his brother Albert Burge
Albert Burge
Albert Bentley "Son" Burge was an Australian rugby union lock who played with the Souths rugby union club in Sydney and at the age of nineteen was selected for the Australian national team in two Tests against New Zealand in 1907....
.
Rugby league career
He was one of the fourteen 1908-09 Wallabies including Chris McKivatChris McKivat
Christopher Hobart McKivat was an Australian rugby union and rugby league player – a dual-code rugby international. He represented the Wallabies in over 20 Tests and tour matches from 1907 to 1909 and the Kangaroos in 5 Tests from 1910 to 1912...
, Charles McMurtie, "Boxer" Russell
Charles Russell (rugby)
Charles "Boxer" Joseph Russell was a pioneer Australian rugby union and rugby league footballer and coach. He represented his country in both sports and was one Australia's early dual-code rugby internationals...
and Arthur McCabe
Arthur McCabe
Arthur John Michael McCabe was a pioneer Australian rugby union and rugby league player. He represented for Australian in rugby union at the 1908 Summer Olympics.-Rugby union career:...
who defected to rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
after their return from the Olympics and the epic tour. In Burge's case he joined his brother Alby in the 1909 "Wallabies v Kangaroos" promotional match which then disqualified him from the amateur code.
He joined the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
in 1910 but then the following year linked with Albert and Frank
Frank Burge
Frank 'Chunky' Burge was one of the greatest forwards in the history of rugby league in Australia. Later he was one of the game's finest coaches....
at Glebe. He toured Great Britain with the 1911-12 Kangaroos, captained by his former Wallaby and then Glebe captain, Chris McKivat
Chris McKivat
Christopher Hobart McKivat was an Australian rugby union and rugby league player – a dual-code rugby international. He represented the Wallabies in over 20 Tests and tour matches from 1907 to 1909 and the Kangaroos in 5 Tests from 1910 to 1912...
. He made four tour matches appearances for Australia.
Along with McMurtie and Bob Stuart
Bob Stuart (rugby)
Robert Stuart was an Australian rugby union and rugby league player and represented his country at both sports - a dual-code rugby international....
, Peter Burge made his international league debut in a tour match on that 1911 tour but did not play in any Tests. Collectively they were therefore Australia's 17th to 19th dual-code rugby internationals.
Like Frank Burge had done in 1927, Peter in 1937 coached the St. George Dragons
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
.