Born: May 29, 1987 - Hawera
Test record: 43 Tests (2008-18) - 5 tries, 22 goals (64 points)
Tours: 2008 World Cup, 2009 Four Nations, 2010 Four Nations, 2011 Four Nations, 2013 World Cup, 2014 Four Nations, 2015 tour of England, 2016 Four Nations
Taranaki hooker Issac Luke became one of New Zealand's best ever to play the position, representing his country in 43 Tests from 2008-18 and featuring in three famous tournament triumphs.
Born in HΔwera, Luke represented the Junior Kiwis in 2004-05 and featured in the Bulldogs' Jersey Flegg Cup team. He was signed by South Sydney and made his NRL debut in 2007 just days after his 20th birthday, forging a permanent spot in the Rabbitohs' 17 and featuring in the club's first finals match in 18 years.
An accomplished goalkicker, Luke cemented the Rabbitohs' No.9 jersey in 2008 and made his debut at hooker for New Zealand in the 28-12 Centenary Test loss to Australia at the SCG. He came of the bench in a World Cup warm-up against Tonga and was a valuable contributor in four interchange appearances at the tournament. The tyro scored a try against Papua New Guinea, slotting three goals in the pool win over England and kicking another three goals in the 34-20 triumph over the Kangaroos in the final.
Suspension ruled Luke out of the 2009 Anzac Test but he returned to come off the bench in a one-off Test against Tonga and all three of the Kiwis' Four Nations matches. He played all six of New Zealand's Tests in 2010, scoring a try in a Four Nations clash with Papua New Guinea and featuring off the bench again in that tournament's final, a 16-12 upset of Australia.
An electric ball-runner from dummy-half and a powerful defender despite his compact frame, 'Bully' was a mainstay for the Kiwis again in 2011 - plying three Tests against Australia and one against England - and was at hooker for both 2012 matches against the Kangaroos, scoring a try in each.
Luke was also a key component in Souths' rise to regular top-four status. He started the 2013 Anzac Test and all six matches of the Kiwis' World Cup campaign (scoring a try against Samoa) at hooker.
The 27-year-old emerged from the disappointment of being ruled out of the Rabbitohs' 2014 grand final victory by suspension to play a key role in the Kiwis' Four Nations success, donning the No.9 in the final against Australia in Wellington. He was a vital figure in another defeat of the Kangaroos in 2015 - a long-awaited Anzac Test win in Brisbane.
With Simon Mannering unavailable, Luke captained New Zealand in its 2-1 Test series loss in England at the end of 2015. The 188-game Rabbitoh joined the Warriors in 2016, featuring in five matches of the Kiwis' post-season schedule that year and the last Anzac Test in 2017.
The veteran was left out the Kiwis' 2017 World Cup squad but bounced back with a tremendous NRL campaign with the Warriors in 2018, helping the club end a seven-year finals drought and finishing equal-eighth in the Dally M Medal count. He made his last appearance for the Kiwis as captain midway through 2018, the 36-18 loss to England in Denver.
After departing the Warriors at the end of 2019, Luke had stints with St George Illawarra and Brisbane in 2020. He continued playing in the Queensland Cup in subsequent seasons with Wynnum-Manly and Souths Logan.
The club's George Piggins Medal winner as best and fairest in 2010, Luke was made a South Sydney Rabbitohs life member in 2022.