Former England hooker Mark Regan has revealed his decision to hide his deafness in order to persue his Rugby World Cup dreams.
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Regan, known for his stints with Bath, Leeds Tykes, and Bristol, as well as his tours with the British and Irish Lions, has been living with deafness since the age of two.
Despite this, he chose to keep it hidden from both teammates and coaches throughout his career, fearing it could hinder his ambitions of reaching the pinnacle of rugby success.
“I’ve been deaf since I was two,” he said. “I kept it a secret, because I’d seen it as a weakness and I had to if I wanted to get to the top.
“100,000 people in the crowd, you’re doing a lineout call to win the World Cup and you miss the lineout call and you don’t hear it, it’s the difference between winning and losing, isn’t it? And I don’t think anyone or any coach would take that gamble.”
Revealing the extent of his hearing impairment, he continued: “I can’t hear S, F, C, W. A crowded room is very hard, so I lip read. But I didn’t know any different as a kid, never told anyone, because I’d never get to the top. I can just see it.
“It never got out until I just thought, well at the end of the day I wear my hearing aids now, and I wear them with pride. I can hear the leaves whistling, I can hear the birds singing.”
He added: “I’m the person that wanted to prove everyone wrong, that I can get to the top. You can succeed even with a disability these days, you can get to the top. I learned very quickly that you’re not on your own, you’re with the squad. You’ve got to trust in each other and believe and be accountable for your actions and learn your role in the team.
“I just wanted to get to the top and get to the furthest pinnacle of a rugby career you could possibly get to. Just giving my heart and soul and everything I possibly could give. I look back with great pride.”
What England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup Heroes Look Like Today – Some Have Undergone Major Transformations
Sir Clive Woodward’s England lifted the William Webb Ellis trophy for the first – and so far only – time in 2003, after a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal in extra time.
Woodward’s side are still the only northern hemisphere side to win the World Cup, with the other nine tournaments won by South Africa (four), New Zealand (three) and Australia (two).
In a video posted by England Rugby’s Instagram account, Wilkinson – who scored the all important drop goal 28 seconds from time – said: ‘It’s great being back with all the guys from the squad 20 years on.
‘It’s great to be able to see everyone, and to get a feel of what everyone’s been up to, but also to I guess get a feel for why we were able to do what we did 20 years ago, because it still lives on in everyone.’
Take a look at how some of the key players look now:
Phil Vickery
A former Gloucester and London Wasps prop, Phil Vickery called time on his career at the end of the 2010 Premiership season. The two-time British & Irish Lion was a revered opponent across the world, and has since started a successful clothing brand ‘Raging Bull’, with his on-field nickname. Vickery was forced into retirement due to a series of neck injuries, and in 2012 he joined Worcester Warriors as their Scrum Coach.
Vickery has also tried his hand at sports broadcasting, as he was apart of the commentary team for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. His on-screen appearances have also been witnessed across a variety of TV shows, including ‘Celebrity MasterChef’, which he won in 2011. An eternal fan favourite at Kingsholm Stadium, Vickery was appointed the title of Deputy Lieutenant of Gloucestershire in 2015.
Jonny Wilkinson
Renowned for his iconic drop-goal that secured victory against Australia in the 2003 final, Wilkinson transitioned into a coaching role with Toulon, focusing on kicking and skills development following his retirement. He also now works as a pundit for ITV Sport during Rugby World Cup’s and the Six Nations.
Will Greenwood
Greenwood continued to shine on the international stage following the 2003 glory, and went on to represent the British & Irish Lions for their 2005 tour to New Zealand. He ended his career at Harlequins in 2006, and soon gave his experienced views through analysis and punditry. Greenwood co-hosted the ‘School of Hard Knocks’ TV series with former Wales international Scott Quinnell, and was an on-screen analyst for ITV as England reached the final of the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Will has also explored opportunities away from rugby, and is the current Chief Customer Officer for data and software company Afiniti’s London office. Greenwood’s family was struck with tragedy, after his son Freddie died just 45 minutes after being born. The former England centre underwent an inspirational walk to the North Pole in memory of his son, and helped to raise over £750,000 for Borne’s research. Greenwood is a patron of Borne, who are a medical research charity that work with cases of premature birth. He is also a patron of Child Bereavement UK, which is a charity that support parents who have lost a child.