Gisborne’s Fergus Burke to play for Scotland against Māori ABs

Gisborne's Fergus Burke attempting a conversion for Canterbury in an NPC game against Manawatu in Christchurch. Burke is in the Scotland squad to play the Māori All Blacks in Whangārei on July 5 as part of a three-match Summer Tour. Photo / Photosport

Gisborne-born-and-raised former Crusaders first five-eighths Fergus Burke is on his way back to New Zealand to play for Scotland.

Scotland face the Māori All Blacks in Whangārei on Saturday, July 5, before playing tests in Fiji and against Manu Samoa at Eden Park.

Burke, who has played 21 matches for English premiership club Saracens since leaving the Crusaders in 2024, trained with the Scotland Six Nations squad, but did not appear in the tournament.

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend, a former first five-eighths, said the Six Nations side loved training with Burke.

“We’ve seen his game grow this year at Saracens,”’ Townsend told Scottish publication The Offside Line.

“I felt he’s played some consistent rugby in a new environment, playing Northern Hemisphere club rugby.

“Finding out different ways to play the game has given him a better rugby education.

“He’s someone that there’s a lot more to come from and we’ll see that on tour.”

Burke, 25, is eligible for Scotland through his Glaswegian grandfather and for England through Gisborne mother Julie.

Burke attended Makauri and Gisborne Intermediate schools before heading to St Paul’s Collegiate and making the First XV.

He made 37 appearances for Canterbury and 42 for the Crusaders, appearing sometimes at fullback as the Crusaders’ No 10 was All Blacks first five-eighths Richie Mo’unga.

Burke also played six times for the New Zealand Under-20 side.

He was at No 10 for the Barbarians in their 45-32 win over Fiji at Twickenham last year.

Scotland and the Māori All Blacks have played each other twice.

The last match, at New Plymouth in 2000, was won 18-15 by the Māori ABs.

The Māori ABs squad features several Gisborne, East Coast and Ngāti Porou affiliated players – former Gisborne Boys’ High First XV team members Jared Proffit (born in Gisborne) and Isaia Walker-Leawere (Ruatōria), Crusaders and Tasman prop Kershawl J. Sykes-Martin (Ruatōria), Auckland and former Wellington halfback Kemara Hauiti-Parapara (Wellington) and Waikato and Chiefs loose forward Jahrome Brown (Hamilton).