It is a milestone. On June 18th Phil Burrows became the first Kiwi to reach 300 international caps.
The 33-year-old Wellingtonian debuted for the Black Sticks against Great Britain in 2000 as a 19-year-old. He is the country’s leading goal scorer with 137 goals to his name. The only current player who comes close to him in terms of experience is captain Dean Couzins, currently on 278 caps.
Burrows said notching up 300 games, ”Today was pretty special for me.” However he is not desiring to retire at any time soon by his choice. “To be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t mind at all playing another 100,” he said.
Burrows’s career highlights are his debut game, a Commonwealth Games silver medal in 2002 and attending his first Olympic Games [Athens 2004] where he finished as the tournament’s top goal scorer. Burrows is renowned for his speed and fitness on the turf and his straight talking off it.
So what’s the secret to his longevity?
“The first and most important I think is my love of the game,” he said. “Fun on and off the field plays a huge part but a healthy lifestyle, gym work, running and stretching are all important. “The fact that I can live, play and train as a professional athlete in Europe plays a massive part in my longevity with the Black Sticks.”
Burrows rates Australia, the Netherlands and Germany as his toughest opponents. As the game has evolved over time, so too has his approach. He has become more focused on aerial skills as European teams increasingly turn to lifting skills to eliminate defenders. When he finally puts down his stick, Burrows hopes to be remembered “as a player who works the hardest on the pitch but also has great skill”.
Phil Burrows, New Zealanders join together and salute you too for your milestone effort in doing your country proud.
