View source for Mark Regan

{{Short description|British Lions & England international rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name           = Mark Regan {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|commas=on|MBE}}
| image          =
| caption        = 
| birth_name     = Mark Peter Regan
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1972|1|28|df=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Bristol]], [[England]]
| death_date     = 
| death_place    = 
| height         = 5 ft 9 in (1.77 m)
| weight         = 15 st 10 lb (100 kg)
| position       = [[full back (rugby union)|Hooker]]
| amatyears1     = 
| amatteam1      = 
| ru_amupdate    = 
| repteam1       = [[England national rugby union team|England]] 
| repteam2       = [[British and Irish Lions]]
| repyears1      = 1995-2008 
| repyears2      = [[1997 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa|1997]]
| repcaps1       = 46
| repcaps2       = 1
| reppoints1     = 15
| reppoints2     = 0
| ru_ntupdate    = 9 September 2007
| years1         = 1997-2002
| years2         = 2002-2005
| years3         = 1991-97, 2005-09
| clubs1         = [[Bath Rugby|Bath]]
| clubs2         = [[Leeds Tykes]]
| clubs3         = [[Bristol Bears|Bristol]]
| apps1          = 132
| apps2          = 69
| apps3          = 113
| points1        = 45
| points2        = 30
| points3        = 30
| ru_clubupdate  = 17 August 2007
| currentclub = [[Bristol Bears|Bristol]]
| coachteams1    = 
| coachyears1    = 
| ru_coachupdate = 
| occupation     = Rugby Coach in Bristol since retiring from England Rugby.
| school         = [[St. Brendan's Sixth Form College]]
}}

'''Mark Regan''' [[Member of the Order of the British Empire|MBE]] (born 28 January 1972 in [[Bristol]]) is an English former [[rugby union]] player. Nicknamed 'Ronnie', he played as a [[Hooker (rugby union)|hooker]] for [[Bristol Shoguns|Bristol]], [[Bath Rugby|Bath]], [[Leeds Tykes]] as well as [[England national rugby union team|England]] and the [[British and Irish Lions]].

==Career==
Regan's England breakthrough came when he succeeded [[Brian Moore (rugby union)|Brian Moore]] in 1995 for the visit of South Africa to Twickenham in November. He became the first player to make his England debut in the professional era of rugby union, which began in August of that year. Despite being on the losing side, he retained his place for the 1996 and 1997 Five Nations championships.

Selected for the [[1997 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa]], he was kept out of the first and second tests by [[Keith Wood]], but played in the final test.<ref name="Lions">{{cite web|url=http://www.lionsrugby.com/6012.php?player=364&includeref=dynamic|title=Mark Regans profile|publisher=Lionsrugby.com|access-date=25 February 2009}}</ref>

He lost form on his return from Lions duty and lost his England place to new club mate [[Andy Long (rugby union)|Andy Long]] and then [[Richard Cockerill]]. Even though he played a major role in [[Bath Rugby|Bath]]'s [[Heineken Cup]] victory over [[CA Brive|Brive]] in Bordeaux,<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/17106.php
|title=The Third Heineken Cup Final
|publisher=epcrugby.com
|date=31 January 1998
|access-date=24 February 2017
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026005039/http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/17106.php
|archive-date=26 October 2016
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> the hooker was out of favour with England Coach [[Clive Woodward]].

In 1999/2000, Regan re-emerged as a player: he shed over a stone in weight and hit back at critics who believed his [[line-out (rugby union)|line-out]] throwing was too inconsistent for international level by turning in some impressive performances for Bath. A prominent figure in the clubs late season challenge for the [[Guinness Premiership|Allied Dunbar Premiership]], he was voted the Bath forward of the year.

Regan returned to the international scene as a training squad member and England A player. He returned to the [[England national rugby union team|England]] squad on the tour to South Africa in 2000. He played some of the best rugby of his career and selection for the autumn internationals followed. [[Phil Greening]]'s knee and hand injuries allowed him to take over as England's number one [[Hooker (rugby union)|hooker]] for the Six Nations Championship; however, [[Clive Woodward]] opted for [[Leicester Tigers]] [[Dorian West]] and Regan was forced to sit on the bench for most of the campaign.

Though he missed out on the Lions tour to Australia during the summer, Regan was selected for [[England national rugby union team|England]]'s summer tour. However, hindered by his injury, Regan struggled to find his early season form. He remained part of the [[England national rugby union team|England]] set-up for the 2001-2002 season and again went on tour in the summer to Argentina.

Regan joined [[Leeds Tykes]] in August 2002 from Bath and quickly became a central figure at Headingley. He made his debut on the opening day of the 2002-2003 season in a 26-13 win over [[Leicester Tigers]]. After moving to Leeds his displays not only saw him become a crowd favourite but also saw a revival in his international career, as he was selected for the England squad for the [[2003 Rugby World Cup]].

Regan announced his international retirement in 2004 after not being selected for the game against [[Canada national rugby union team|Canada]]. He left Leeds at the end of the 2004-05 season having helped secure Leeds [[Guinness Premiership|Premiership]] status, as well as winning a [[Powergen Cup]] winners medal, the final of which he started.<ref>{{cite news 
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/4445363.stm
|title=Bath 12-20 Leeds 
|publisher=[[BBC]] 
|date=16 April 2005 |access-date=14 July 2013}}</ref> He played 69 times for Leeds and scored 6 tries. In 2005-6 he was instrumental in helping newly promoted [[Bristol Bears|Bristol]] (his hometown club) retain their Premiership status. He came out of international retirement in 2007 and was impressive in England's otherwise lacklustre tour of [[South Africa]]. Consequently, he was named in the England squad for the [[2007 Rugby World Cup]]. He was also named in the England squad for the 2008 Six Nations Championship alongside Leicester's [[George Chuter]] and Bath's [[Lee Mears]].

After the world cup, Regan was selected to captain the [[Barbarian F.C.|Barbarians]] against {{Nrut|South Africa}} but was refused permission to play from Bristol.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/southafrica/2326811/Bristol-refuse-to-release-Mark-Regan.html|title=Bristol refuse to release Mark Regan|last=Gallagher|first=Brendan|date=26 November 2007|work=The Telegraph|access-date=25 February 2009}}</ref> However, Regan ignored the club and played the game anyway.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article2963583.ece|title=Mark Regan makes statement by opting to lead the Barbarians|last=Hands|first=David|date=29 November 2007|work=The Times|access-date=25 February 2009}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/barbarians-22-south-africa-5-robinson-savours-brilliant-last-hurrah-761386.html|title=Barbarians 22 South Africa 5: Robinson savours 'brilliant' last hurrah|last=Glover|first=Tim|date=3 December 2007|work=The Independent|access-date=25 February 2009}}</ref>

After England beat [[France national rugby union team|France]] 24-13 in [[Paris]] in the [[2008 Six Nations Championship]], Regan was described by French coach [[Marc Lièvremont]] as a 'grotesque clown'.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7261624.stm|title=France coach slams 'clown' Regan |date=24 February 2008|publisher=The BBC|access-date=25 February 2009}}</ref> This was to be Regan's last appearance for England.

In February 2009, Regan announced his intention to retire at the end of the season.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/bristol/7908894.stm|title=Regan announces his retirement |date=25 February 2009|publisher=The BBC|access-date=25 February 2009}}</ref>

He is now Forwards Coach at [[Clifton Rugby Football Club|Clifton Rugby Club]] playing a part in leading them to the South West One title and the EDF Cup Final at Twickenham.

He is also currently involved in the buy-to-let property market, working with property investment companies Midas Estates and Property Investment Plan.

==Honours==
*'''[[European Rugby Champions Cup]] Winner 1998'''
*'''[[Anglo-Welsh Cup|Powergen Cup/Anglo-Welsh Cup]]''' '''titles:''' '''1'''
**2005
*'''[[Rugby World Cup]] Winner [[2003 Rugby World Cup|2003]]'''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930014937/http://www.england-rugby.com/englandrugby/index.cfm?fuseaction=News.News_Detail&storyid=4190 England profile]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080228080030/http://www.leedscarnegie.co.uk/index_27D536EAE94841B6901B2216B583840D.htm Leeds profile]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090420041625/http://www.bristolrugby.co.uk/5537.php?player=3688&includeref=dynamic Profile at Bristol Rugby]
*[http://www.scrum.com/statsguru/rugby/player/12138.html Profile at scrum.com]
*[http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=4537 Mark Regan photo by sportingheroes.net]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7908423.stm Regans career in pictures - BBC.co.uk]
*[http://www.mark-regan.co.uk/ Mark Regan Enterprises]
*[http://www.midasestates.com/ Midas Estates]

{{England Squad 2007 World Cup}}
{{England Squad 2003 World Cup}}
{{British and Irish Lions 1997}}
{{Barbarian RFC Captains in Internationals}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Regan, Mark}}
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English rugby union players]]
[[Category:Rugby union hookers]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Bristol Bears players]]
[[Category:Leeds Tykes players]]
[[Category:Barbarian F.C. players]]
[[Category:Bath Rugby players]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Bristol]]
[[Category:England international rugby union players]]
[[Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from England]]
[[Category:2003 Rugby World Cup players]]
[[Category:2007 Rugby World Cup players]]