GEORGE GREGAN is adamant the team comes first after he was overlooked as Australia’s Rugby World Cup captain.
Centre Stirling Mortlock was preferred as skipper ahead of Gregan – rugby’s most-capped player with 134 international appearances to his name – in head coach John Connolly‘s 30-man squad for the tournament in France, which starts on September 7.
Mortlock was vice-captain four years ago, but the duo have performed a role reversal this time round.
Scrum-half Gregan led Australia to the final in Sydney in 2003 and is set to become the first Australia player to appear in four Rugby World Cup tournaments as the Wallabies bid for an unprecedented third triumph in the tournament.
The ACT Brumbies star, who will share the vice-captaincy with New South Wales Waratahs flanker Phil Waugh, insists he is happy with his new role after fearing he would miss out on a place in the squad altogether.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re captain or in the leadership group, everyone’s involved in helping the team go forward, working with management, working with coaches, working with the players, so I will just do that,” he said.
“I was always looking forward to giving myself a chance of playing in the World Cup again, and hopefully we can get ourselves a chance to win the World Cup.
“It’s been a lot of hard work to get here, you have to work hard to keep getting selected in the Wallaby team and obviously getting into the World Cup squad, so I’m very happy about that.”
The 34-year-old, who moves to Toulon after the tournament, was a surprise omission from the Wallabies’ 2006 European tour and was relegated to the bench for the opening two Tests of the 2007 domestic series against Wales.
But the feisty number nine has since reclaimed his starting spot and will once again play a vital role for the Wallabies at the business end of the tournament.
And when asked if at any stage he feared being overlooked for the World Cup, Gregan replied, “No, I don’t think that way – I’m always thinking about the next game and how you can improve, and how the team can improve.
“I’ve always had a pretty strong belief in my ability so it’s just a matter of doing all those little things, and doing the things I’ve done all my career.”
Gregan’s last hurrah on the international stage will attract much sentiment and emotion from lovers of the game, but the player is unlikely to become lost in his emotions.
He added, “I’ve known I’m going to retire for a while. This year has been good and you enjoy those moments, but I don’t get too emotionally attached to it.”
by Western Mail
Centre Stirling Mortlock was preferred as skipper ahead of Gregan – rugby’s most-capped player with 134 international appearances to his name – in head coach John Connolly‘s 30-man squad for the tournament in France, which starts on September 7.
Mortlock was vice-captain four years ago, but the duo have performed a role reversal this time round.
Scrum-half Gregan led Australia to the final in Sydney in 2003 and is set to become the first Australia player to appear in four Rugby World Cup tournaments as the Wallabies bid for an unprecedented third triumph in the tournament.
The ACT Brumbies star, who will share the vice-captaincy with New South Wales Waratahs flanker Phil Waugh, insists he is happy with his new role after fearing he would miss out on a place in the squad altogether.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re captain or in the leadership group, everyone’s involved in helping the team go forward, working with management, working with coaches, working with the players, so I will just do that,” he said.
“I was always looking forward to giving myself a chance of playing in the World Cup again, and hopefully we can get ourselves a chance to win the World Cup.
“It’s been a lot of hard work to get here, you have to work hard to keep getting selected in the Wallaby team and obviously getting into the World Cup squad, so I’m very happy about that.”
The 34-year-old, who moves to Toulon after the tournament, was a surprise omission from the Wallabies’ 2006 European tour and was relegated to the bench for the opening two Tests of the 2007 domestic series against Wales.
But the feisty number nine has since reclaimed his starting spot and will once again play a vital role for the Wallabies at the business end of the tournament.
And when asked if at any stage he feared being overlooked for the World Cup, Gregan replied, “No, I don’t think that way – I’m always thinking about the next game and how you can improve, and how the team can improve.
“I’ve always had a pretty strong belief in my ability so it’s just a matter of doing all those little things, and doing the things I’ve done all my career.”
Gregan’s last hurrah on the international stage will attract much sentiment and emotion from lovers of the game, but the player is unlikely to become lost in his emotions.
He added, “I’ve known I’m going to retire for a while. This year has been good and you enjoy those moments, but I don’t get too emotionally attached to it.”
by Western Mail
1 comment:
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