Luke Burgess has re-signed with Australian Rugby Union and the NSW Waratahs for a further two years, keeping the incumbent Wallabies halfback in the domestic game until after the 2011 World Cup.

In a major boost to NSW team spirits ahead of their season-defining three-match Super 14 tour of South Africa, Burgess has followed the lead of skipper Phil Waugh and exciting young centre Rob Horne in pledging his future to the Waratahs.

"Knowing I'm signed up for another two years allows me to just concentrate on my footy and help to achieve the goals of both the Waratahs and Wallabies," Burgess said on Friday.

The 25-year-old was one of 12 players to make their Test debuts in 2008, winning his first cap in the opening international of the season against Ireland in Melbourne.

While a knee injury forced him out of the back half of the Tri Nations series, Burgess still finished the year with 11 Test appearances after starting in all four of the Wallabies' spring tour internationals in Europe.

The Maitland-born Burgess entered Super rugby via the Brumbies, where he spent four seasons as George Gregan's understudy, before returning to NSW last year.

He enjoyed a watershed 2008, sparking NSW's run to the Super 14 final after earning his first start midway through the Waratahs' campaign.

"The last year has been amazing," Burgess said.

"Coming up from Canberra, I was hoping things would change a bit, and I've been lucky to achieve some success since getting an opportunity last year.

"There are some really exciting times ahead, I believe. At the Waratahs, we have a really good group of guys, a new coaching team and our game is evolving week on week with a fair bit of success.

"Similarly, under Robbie (Deans) with the Wallabies, we achieved some really good results last year, and I know there's a lot of improvement left in the squad with the long-term goal of success in 2011 (at the World Cup in New Zealand)."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP