Australia’s longest-playing elite women’s Rugby Union player Louise “Cookie” Burrows has announced her retirement from representative rugby. 

Louise’s career spans almost three decades, starting at Canberra Royals Rugby Union Club at the age of 16.

In 1995 she got her first representative cap playing for the ACT women’s rugby team and in 1996 she was selected in the inaugural Brumbies women’s team. 

Louise represented the Brumbies until 2022 and played more than 150 games. 

She made her international debut for the Wallaroos in 2001, and has represented Australia at the 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2017 World Cups. 

Alongside representative rugby, Louise works as a physical education teacher and is a mother of two.

Louise was inducted into the University of Canberra’s Sport Walk of Fame in 2022. 

She says she will continue to champion for wage equality for elite women athletes and will continue to encourage girls from a young age to follow their sporting ambitions.

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