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ARU board blocks Burke bid
By Peter Jenkins
May 13, 2007
AUSTRALIAN Rugby Union bosses have scuttled Test coach John Connolly's masterplan to resurrect Matt Burke as a World Cup Wallaby.
The ARU board met on Friday and decided to stand firm on a long-standing edict that Wallaby selectors must only choose players from the four Super 14 franchises.
"We don't feel at this stage the policy needs changing," new ARU chairman Peter McGrath told The Sunday Telegraph last night.
Connolly approached Burke back in March to make himself available for Australia's Test program this season, starting with the two-game series against Wales which opens in Sydney on Saturday week.
Burke is an 81-Test veteran who last played for the Wallabies in 2004 before heading to English club Newcastle.
Connolly was openly concerned at the lack of depth in the fullback position after Chris Latham was injured pre-season with the Queensland Reds.
There are still no guarantees that Latham will be anywhere near his best for the World Cup after a knee reconstruction and his most likely replacement, Cameron Shepherd, is also recovering from injury. He has next to no chance of playing against Wales.
The chase for Burke, however, has now been called off courtesy of the ARU board who fear a dangerous precedent will be set if an overseas-based player is hauled into the Wallabies squad. Connolly's focus was success at the World Cup.
But at least one key official believes short-term gain could lead to long-term pain - with other top Australia players encouraged to take up contracts in Europe knowing their Test careers might be revived if injuries strike at home.
Burke last night was angered by suggestions that the ARU had lost interest.
"It was John Connolly who called me two months ago," he said. "My management and I listened to what they had to say and eventually we announced that my family and club commitments with the Newcastle Falcons had precedence and we turned the whole thing off.
"We didn't hear from the ARU after that and that was two months ago."