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Issac Luke

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Issac Luke
Personal information
Born (1987-05-29) 29 May 1987 (age 37)[1]
Hawera, New Zealand
Height174 cm (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Weight91 kg (14 st 5 lb)[1]
Playing information
PositionHooker
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2007–15 South Sydney 188 36 134 0 412
2016– New Zealand Warriors 66 10 46 0 132
Total 254 46 180 0 544
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2008–17 New Zealand 37 5 18 0 56
Source: [2]
As of 3 March 2018

Issac Luke (born 29 May 1987 in Hawera, Taranaki) is a New Zealand professional rugby league player of the 2000s and 2010s, who plays for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League. A New Zealand national representative hooker, he previously played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Luke is a member of the World Cup-winning New Zealand team that beat Australia in the 2008 Final.[2] He was a part of the Rabbitohs squad that won the 2014 NRL Premiership, however despite being named as starting hooker, was ruled out for the final due to suspension.[3]

Personal life

Luke's wife Mickayela is a cousin of fellow Kiwi rugby league international Sonny Bill Williams,[4] with whom he also played in the juniors at the Bulldogs.[5] Luke is a cousin of England international Rangi Chase.[4] He is of Irish and Māori descent.[6]

Playing career

Prior to making his professional debut, Luke played Jersey Flegg Cup for the Bulldogs alongside fellow New Zealander and future Kiwis teammate Sonny Bill Williams.[7] Luke made his NRL debut for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in round 12 of the 2007 NRL season against the Melbourne Storm at Olympic Park Stadium, coming off the bench. Luke had his first NRL start in round 19 Against the North Queensland Cowboys, playing at hooker. He scored his first NRL try and was awarded the Brut Man of the Match award for his efforts. Luke tasted finals football in his debut year, coming off the bench in the Rabbitohs 30 – 6 loss to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. He was awarded the John Sattler Rookie of the Year at the South Sydney annual Red and Green Ball and presentation night held at the AJC function centre at Randwick Racecourse Sydney. He also was second only to Israel Folau in the Dally M Rookie of the Year award. His year was capped off by being named in the Train on Squad for the New Zealand Kiwis.

Luke started the 2008 season well but a broken bone in his hand in the round 3 loss to the Penrith Panthers sidelined him for 4 weeks. He came back in round 7 against the Brisbane Broncos and added some much needed spark to the team but they came up short going down 32 – 18. His return from injury came just in time for him to make his test debut for the Kiwis for the ANZAC day test at the SCG.[8] He started the game at hooker and had a solid debut. Luke was named at halfback for the round 8 clash against the North Queensland Cowboys to accommodate both himself and fellow hooker George Ndaira in the starting side. During round 13 against The Warriors, Luke was instrumental for Souths, including setting up a great try to put Souths ahead at half time, and was named Man of the Match. In round 14 against the Titans Luke scored his first career double and slotted the match winning penalty for a 24–23 victory.

Issac Luke and Adam Blair performing the Haka for New Zealand.
Luke at the 2012 Dally M Awards with Mikayla Watts

In August 2008, Luke was named in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,[9] and in October 2008, he was named in the final 24-man Kiwi squad.[10]

Luke was considered one of the 2008 Rugby League World Cup tournament's 'Players to Watch' by NRL Live.[11] He was then a crucial part of the Kiwi side that lifted the World Cup in 2008, beating Australia 34 – 20 before over 50,000 spectators at Brisbane's Lang Park. Also in 2008, he was named in the Taranaki Rugby League Team of the Century.[12]

Luke made 68 NRL appearances for Souths in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons. In none of those seasons did the Rabbitohs qualify for the finals series.[2] He represented New Zealand in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Four Nations tournaments, playing off the substitutes bench for the Kiwis' win of the 2010 edition.[13] For the 2010 Anzac Test, Luke was selected to play for New Zealand at hooker in their loss against Australia. Luke's 2011 Four Nations tournament ended in controversy after he was criticised for a series of cynical tackles on opposing players.[14] Luke admitted that in a match against England, he had attempted to break the leg of Rangi Chase, England's New Zealand-born half-back.[15]

For the 2013 Anzac Test, Luke was selected to play for New Zealand at hooker in their loss again Australia..

In May 2015 Luke signed with the New Zealand Warriors for three seasons, beginning in 2016.[16] He co-captained the New Zealand Kiwis on their 2015 tour of Great Britain.

Highlights

References

  1. ^ a b c "Issac Luke". yahoo.com. Yahoo!. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  2. ^ a b c "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Grand Final Late Mail & Team Changes". Rabbitohs. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  4. ^ a b Night of mixed emotions for Souths' Issac Luke, by Chris Barclay, Stuff.co.nz, dated 28 September 2014.
  5. ^ Russell Crowe a buy-word in Souths lore, by Danny Weidler, Sydney Morning Herald, dated 4 October 2014.
  6. ^ "Issac Luke and Luke Keary's sneaky Ireland Rugby League World Cup play". Fox Sports. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  7. ^ Sonny Bill Williams in tears after being named player of year, by Brad Walter, smh.com.au, dated 28 November 2013.
  8. ^ "Kiwis call up Test surprises". Fox Sports. 30 April 2008. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "Kiwis select Sonny Bill". Sky Sports. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
  10. ^ "Kiwis to wait on Webb and Matai". BBC. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  11. ^ "World Cup Players to Watch". NRL Live. 17 October 2008. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ "Dream team of century is named". Taranaki Daily News. 14 October 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  13. ^ "Australia 12 lost to New Zealand 16". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  14. ^ Ritchie, Dean (1 December 2011). "I need help, says maligned Issac Luke". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  15. ^ "Kiwi Issac Luke admits trying to break leg of England's Rangi Chase". BBC Sport. 20 November 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  16. ^ "Warriors confirm Issac Luke signing". nrl.com. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
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