George Gregan

George Musarurwa Gregan AM (born 19 April 1973) is a retired Australian rugby union player, and is currently Australia's most capped international player.

Gregan was born in Lusaka, Zambia.

During the mid-1990s' Super League war, Gregan was approached to be the starting halfback for the new Adelaide rugby league team for "seriously more money" than he would earn playing rugby union, but he opted to remain in the 15-man code.

Gregan made his first appearance for the Wallabies in 1994 in a match against Italy in Brisbane, which the Wallabies won 23 to 20.

He was subsequently capped in the victories over Italy again, and Western Samoa.

Later in 1994, Gregan made a famous try-saving tackle on All Black Jeff Wilson that directly led to Australia winning the Bledisloe Cup that year and is much remembered as one of the greatest moments in the Wallabies-All Blacks rivalry.

After two caps against Argentina the following season, Gregan had so far been on the winning side in all of his international games as Australia entered the 1995 World Cup in South Africa as defending champions.

However, Australia made their exit at the quarter finals, losing 25 to 22 to England at Newlands in Cape Town.

The game went professional post-1995 World Cup, and one outcome of this was the formation of the Super 12, of which Gregan became a foundation player for the ACT Brumbies franchise.

That season Gregan appeared eight times for the Wallabies, including solid wins over both Wales and Canada in Brisbane, scoring a try in the Canadian clash.

Another outcome of professionalism was the formation of the Tri Nations Series between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Gregan played in three of Australia's four fixtures at the first ever tournament, scoring a try in the 25 to 32 loss to the All Blacks in Brisbane.

He played Super 12 (now Super Rugby) for the Brumbies from the inception of that competition in 1996 through 2007, helping to lead them to overall victories in 2001 and 2004.

He is a foundation Brumbies player and one of the few players whose career spans both the amateur and professional eras.

Gregan was elevated to the vice-captaincy of the Wallabies in 1997.

In the 1997 Tri Nations Series, Gregan scored a try in the opening game against the All Blacks, which was eventually lost 18 to 33, and the Wallabies won only one game, against South Africa, finishing at the bottom of the table.

By the end of the year, Gregan was capped another four times.

As a member of the Wallabies team, Gregan has attained the zenith of the rugby world, winning the Rugby World Cup in 1999.

Gregan and his longtime Wallabies teammate, fly-half Stephen Larkham, also hold the all-time record for Test appearances by a halfback partnership with 79.

Gregan was born in Zambia to an Australian father and a Zimbabwean mother, coincidentally in the same hospital where Corné Krige, who would grow up to be the South Africa captain during Gregan's Wallabies captaincy, would be born two years later.

His family moved to Australia when he was two years old, and he grew up in Canberra where he was educated at St Edmund's College and graduated with a Bachelor of Education (Physical Education) from the University of Canberra.

Gregan and his wife Erica have three children, Max, Charlie and Jazz.

After winning in two matches against the Irish, and one against England in the winter of 1999 at home, the Wallabies ended up finishing in the middle of the table for the 1999 Tri Nations Series (with Gregan having played in every match), though they were still favourable entering the 1999 World Cup held in Wales.

Australia finished at the top of Pool E, winning all their games, with Gregan playing in the matches against Romania and Ireland, though he was rested in the final pool game against the USA.

The Wallabies went on to defeat hosts Wales in the quarter finals at the new Millennium Stadium with Gregan scoring a try, putting Joe Roff into space and then taking the scoring pass, and enter the final after defeating defending champions South Africa in the semi-finals.

The Wallabies became two-time World Champions after defeating France 35 to 12 in the final.

After the international retirement of John Eales in 2001, Gregan became the Wallabies captain.

He was an obvious choice to fill the role, as it would be a natural progression from his position as vice-captain, as well as the fact that Gregan was a virtual automatic selection for the national team.

His appearances as Australian captain include a Bledisloe Cup win in 2002 and an extra-time loss to England in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final.

Gregan played in all of Australia's 6 matches at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

He landed an early drop goal in the 17 to 16 victory over Ireland in the pool stages.

He also scored a try in the 33 to 16 win over Scotland in the quarter-finals.

Gregan led the Wallabies in defeating the All Blacks in the semi-final.

This contest led to a controversy for Gregan when he taunted his opponents after defeating them with the comment, "Four more years boys, four more years" i.e. New Zealand would have to wait another 4 years for an attempt at winning the World Cup.

Australia lost to England in the final.

Max was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2004; after spending time with Max in hospital and "[experiencing] firsthand the needs of many sick children and their parents" they set up the George Gregan Foundation in 2005.

After building playgrounds in NSW, ACT and Qld hospitals and supporting the work of 18 neurology fellows, it is slated to close down in 2021.

Gregan represented Australia at under-19 and under-21 level.

Following Australia's loss to the English in the World Cup, Gregan led the Wallabies on a massive winning campaign during the 2004 season.

After defeating Scotland twice at home, the Wallabies faced the English in a World Cup replay in Brisbane, where they got their revenge, defeating England 51 to 15.