He was first selected for the New Zealand national rugby league team in 1972, as part of the squad for that year's World Cup. He played in three games at the tournament, scoring a try against Great Britain. He played one more test for New Zealand, again against Great Britain, in 1974.[citation needed]
Personal life
Burgoyne's daughter Leilani Tamu is a writer, a former diplomat and an aspiring candidate for the New Zealand Green Party. She has spoken frankly about her father's severe gambling addiction, indirectly leading to his early death at the age of 52.[7][8]