Career
Cooke played in 23 games for New Zealand, including at the 1960 World Cup. He played in eighteen consecutive tests between 1960 and 1964. Cooke was the captain for the last three seasons before accepting a player-coach position in Canberra in 1965.
Cooke took up a player-coach position with Monaro in 1965.
While there he captained the side against the 1966 British Lions and was selected for New South Wales Country. In 1969 Cooke returned to Hornby as coach.
He was a Canterbury selector and coach in 1971 and again coached Hornby in 1978. Cooke was named one of New Zealand Rugby League"s "Legends of League" in 1995.
In 2009 Cooke was named in the NZRL"s team of the century.
Cooke died in September 2013, aged 79.