Waratahs sign halfback from Brumbies

[Burgs]

Oh YES!!! What a top swap, Holmes for Burgess, you are a genius Link!!!



Waratahs sign halfback from Brumbies

Monday, May 14, 2007

Burgess joins the Waratahs on a two-year deal ahead of the start of the 2008 Super 14 season.

"Luke is a very talented player who is looking for an opportunity," Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie said.

"He's shown the benefits of four years in a professional set up and the football he has played over that time has been impressive, to the point where he won selection in the 2006 Wallaby train-on squad.

"There's also the added benefit of getting an athlete that is ready to hit the ground running with very little up-skilling and physical preparation required.

"He gives us great depth in a key position and is held in very high regard within rugby circles."

Burgess's signing covers the defection of Josh Holmes from the Waratahs to Brumbies.

But the 23-year-old certainly won't be a walk-up start at the Waratahs and will have to beat Josh Valentine and Brett Sheehan for the No.9 jersey.

Born in Newcastle and educated at Sydney's St Joseph's College in Sydney, Burgess was lured to Canberra in 2004.

His game time in Canberra was limited to two Super 14 matches due to the presence of Wallabies captain George Gregan.

He made his debut off the bench against the Hurricanes in 2005 and when not playing Super 14 he has been a standout in the Shute Shield for Eastern Suburbs.

Burgess featured strongly in the race for the 2006 Ken Catchpole Medal as the best and fairest player in the Sydney club competition before a foot injury sidelined him mid-season.

The injury also robbed him of the opportunity to play for Australia A in their 2006 series against Fiji.

AAP

[chook]

You rate Burgess, Burgs?

[Burgs]

Only if you rate Baxter....
Actually, that is unfair, he isn't all that bad a player but why on Earth they would have allowed Holmes to "get away" in the first place is beyond me, they would have been better off losing Sheehan or Valentine first.

[Evie]

It doesn't surprise me... as much as I like Phibbs I couldn't understand why he was on the bench ahead of Burgess. He impressed many a judge in the games he did play for the Runners, but I guess Holmes for Burgess isn't a totally bad swap. Though he still would have had a huge chance to push for the starting spot next year at the Brumbies, whereas at the Tahs he may find himself in exactly the same position of back-up to the back-up.

[Burgs]

Evie, would I be right in saying that Phibbs may have been preferred to Burgess on the bench for his versatility in covering most backline positions?
As I recall he has been pretty successful at Club level in at least 5/8, if not Inside Centre as well.

For Burgess I think he would have been far better competing against Phibbs than now being against two favoured National players.

[Evie]

Thats possibly part of it but in saying that Burgess has covered 5/8 as well, a few seasons ago Phibbs and Burgess even played in the halves together for the Runners in a few games.

Agreed, I think he would have had more of a chance at the Brumbies to push for higher honours with it being no certainty as to who will take the vacated no. 9 jersey but then again the Tahs seem to break their scrumhalves a few times a year...

[Sagerian]

Evie, would I be right in saying that Phibbs may have been preferred to Burgess on the bench for his versatility in covering most backline positions?
As I recall he has been pretty successful at Club level in at least 5/8, if not Inside Centre as well.

For Burgess I think he would have been far better competing against Phibbs than now being against two favoured National players.

From what I heard it was a bit more political, problems with the coaching staff, etc.

That's what I heard anyway.

[jazza93]

why do they need another halfback theyve got 2 in the walibies squad

[Burgs]

Red-faced Tahs watch new star rise

Phil Wilkins
Wednesday, May 16, 2007

THE signing of Luke Burgess for two years as the Waratahs' third halfback was buried in fine print yesterday, obscuring the incredible folly of NSW losing one more of Australia's most important young players, Josh Holmes.

Phone call or no phone call from George Gregan, whispering in the ear of last year's under-19 World Cup-winning half to invite him to be his successor at the Brumbies, Holmes wanted to remain with the Waratahs.

But, like any young, gifted player of ambition he was not prepared to stand third in line as he has done for the past two winters.

With Josh Valentine on the Waratahs' books, it boiled down to a choice between Holmes, 20, and Brett Sheehan, 27, for the second halfback spot. Sheehan signed almost immediately, effectively driving Holmes to the Brumbies. The Waratahs' playing hierarchy were apparently so aghast that they sent a delegation to coach Ewen McKenzie.

Adding spice to the back-room negotiations, Holmes so carved up the Waratahs' midfield incumbents in an internal trial that McKenzie came back with a revised contract for him as a centre. By this time, Holmes was as good as measuring up for his new jersey at Canberra Stadium.

So, just 24 hours before the Waratahs announced the signing of Burgess, the Australian selectors included Sam Cordingley, Matt Giteau, Gregan and Holmes as their four halfback candidates for the first Test against Wales.

No Valentine and no Sheehan, both cut from the original 59-man Wallabies train-on squad, named on May 8. Burgess was never in contention.

Yesterday, Holmes's club coach, Eastwood's Greg Hickey, said: "He's a big, rangy bloke. He's a good player now but he will probably improve another 30 per cent over the next couple of years. I think he'd handle the [Test] level of football. He brings a couple of things which are important to the position, perhaps that we have not had recently."

The Waratahs lost Holmes. The Wallabies should claim him.

[The InnFORCEr]

That is so funny, they do need more rugby league players at the Tahs though so best they make room! I do feel for poor Josh H though, if he had of been over here with his brother Luke this year he still would have got in the Wallabies ahead of Henjak I'd say!

[felixnelson]

i know burgess has signed to play for the melbourne rebels in the arc.
am i rigt in believing that burgess actually made the first wallabies squad of 60 last yr?