Kurtley Beale wins 2011 Matthew Burke Cup

Kurtley Beale wins 2011 Matthew Burke Cup
15/07/2011
By HSBC Waratahs Media Unit

HSBC Waratahs fullback Kurtley Beale has taken out the Matthew Burke Cup for the Players' Player of the 2011 Super Rugby season.
Beale finished the season on 247 votes to win from 2010 champion Tatafu Polota-Nau (194) who collected the award for Best Forward.
Wallaby squad member Dave Dennis finished in third place overall - just five points behind Polota-Nau - and was the only player to top the polling in three matches this season.
Luke Burgess, who led the polling for much of the season, picked up the award for Best Back after finishing on 182 points.
Remarkably, Drew Mitchell placed fifth place despite taking no part in the last two months of the competition.
Polota-Nau, Burgess and Mitchell each topped the voting in two matches this season, and while Beale only led the polls in one match this year, his performances in rounds 16 and 17 were defining.
The HSBC Waratahs fullback put in the standout individual performance of the year against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld, receiving 58 out of a possible 63 votes.
Beale backed up that effort with 45 against the Highlanders (just behind Tom Carter's 47), with his 103 points in two weeks taking him to a big lead.
Players to top the polling on one match this year were Damien Fitzpatrick, Sekope Kepu, John Ulugia, Chris Alcock, Daniel Halangahu, Tom Carter and Phil Waugh who led the voting in his final match for the HSBC Waratahs.
Each player in the 22-man match day squad submitted votes on a 3-2-1 basis after each round to determine the overall result.
Rookie Tom Kingston received the Chris Whitaker Aspiring Waratah Award for HSBC Junior Waratah of the Year, while Tom Carter was awarded the Waratah Medal for on and off-field excellence.
Twelve players were presented with their debut jersey after making their first Super Rugby appearances for the HSBC Waratahs this season, while Burgess and Carter were presented with their 50th State Caps.
Players also paid tribute to the HSBC Waratahs' two most-capped players in NSW Rugby history - Phil Waugh and Al Baxter - who will both hang up the boots at the end of the season.

2011 Matthew Burke Cup Standings
Kurtley Beale 247
Tatafu Polota-Nau 194
Dave Dennis 189
Luke Burgess 182
Drew Mitchell 152
Sitaleki Timani 135
Sekope Kepu 131
Tom Carter 124
Dean Mumm 122
Benn Robinson 91