Born: December 20, 1946
Died: November 16, 1999
Test record: 4 Tests (1972, 1974) – 1 try (3 points)
Tour record: 1970 World Cup, 1971 tour of Britain and France, 1972 World Cup

Auckland hooker Bill Burgoyne represented New Zealand from 1970-74, including four Test matches.

Burgoyne represented North Island Colts and Auckland against Australia in 1969, and a Northern XIII against Great Britain in 1970.

After the latter, he was selected as Colin O’Neil’s understudy in the Kiwis’ 1970 World Cup squad but only played in minor tour matches. He played for a New Zealand XIII against Australia in 1971 and was chosen in the Kiwis’ squad for the tour of Britain and France with O’Neil unavailable, but Canterbury’s Jim Fisher kept him out of the ‘Grand Slam’-winning Test team.

Burgoyne missed the tour to Australia in 1972 but got his chance in the international arena later that year, lining up at hooker in all three of New Zealand’s World Cup matches in France. He scored a try in the 53-19 loss to eventual champion Great Britain.

The 27-year-old was retained for New Zealand’s next Test match, the 1974 series opener against Great Britain at Carlaw Park, but despite a solid showing in the scrums in a 13-8 win he lost his place to West Coast’s John Hibbs for the remaining two clashes. Burgoyne played for New Zealand Māori against the Lions later in the tour.

Turning out for Marist, Ponsonby, Manukau and Mt Wellington at club level, Burgoyne ventured across the Tasman and played for a strong Illawarra representative side in the 1975 AMCO Cup.