Like Waugh, Gregan hopes to leave a legacy of struggle
Like Waugh, Gregan hopes to leave a legacy of struggle
Chris Wilson - The Canberra Times
George Gregan has talked to Steve Waugh about a moment such as this.
There has been no greater innings in world rugby than Gregan's and no Australian player has endured such pressure during a scrutinised career.
But this is a first for Gregan. His 133rd Test will be his last on home soil.
Gregan, who attended Waugh's private retirement party in 2004, said he had since talked to Waugh about how the Australian cricket captain had dealt with his long farewell.
Like Gregan, critics told Waugh later in his career that he was too old and out of touch.
Waugh saved his career at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2003, with a century on the second day of his final Ashes Test.
A year later, on the same ground, he saved Australia in his final Test innings. He scored a gritty 80 on the fifth day against India, preventing Australia's first series defeat on home soil in 12 years.
Gregan was inspired.
"It's resilience, it's consistency of performance and it's a toughness, not just physically but mentally, that you need," Gregan said.
"It was good for him, he ended on his own terms. Every sports-person talks about it, but there's some things you can't control.
"Everyone has knockers but he was an incredible captain, took over an incredible team and made them better.
"He did inspire me a lot through his career, how he dealt with pressure. He didn't necessarily say too much, it was always by his actions. It's not until players like that leave that you realise how good he was. But with the Australian cricket team it's almost like a seamless transition to the next player. They're an impressive team."
This is Gregan's dream, to leave his influence and experience on Wallabies teammates that will continue beyond this year's World Cup in France.
He benefited from such leadership when he made his Test debut, against Italy in 1994.
"I know when I first came into the team there was the likes of Tim Horan, Jason Little, David Wilson and Phil Kearns. I came into a great culture, a winning culture and world championship team.
"But they weren't happy, they were always looking to get better. They expected and demanded a lot of each other and I'm no different in that sense. I'm very hard on myself, but also very hard on teammates if the level's not where it should be. That's a good legacy."
It's why Gregan's not concerned whether he regains the Wallabies captaincy for the World Cup in France.
The Wallabies have trialled dual captains Stirling Mortlock and Phil Waugh. Mortlock inspired last weekend's improbable Bledisloe Cup win over the All Blacks.
Gregan's long-term halves partner Stephen Larkham said the team's leadership was evolving, preparing for the departure of Australia's longest-serving halves partnership.
"I've always enjoyed George's captaincy, he has a real calming effect on the team," Larkham said. "But I think the other guys have done a fantastic job. I think the beauty of it at the moment is we've got these new captains but George is still seen as a captain out there on the paddock, he gives you that over-riding confidence."
Gregan admires Larkham for the same qualities he saw in Steve Waugh.
Larkham has understated his achievement tonight, becoming the third Wallabies player to reach 100 Tests. Gregan would not.
"We do play more rugby these days, that's true, but then the game gets harder and harder every year so it's a massive effort. If everyone's aware of what Stephen's gone through, he's had plenty of injuries but he's shown great resilience," Gregan said.
"He's a wonderful player and a great mate ... he's a bit of a paradox. He's in a position where he's very strategic and he likes all those games like chess, but then he also thinks he's a heavyweight boxer. He likes the physical confrontation. That tells you a fair bit about the bloke."
That Gregan is still playing, preparing for his fourth World Cup, tells you a lot about him. Gregan has prepared for this, to go out on his own terms.
"You never take it for granted how privileged a position you're in, but also how quickly it can stop. I could have a serious injury this weekend. So you enjoy the moment," he said.
"I always said when I went on after the World Cup I'll take it a year at a time, if I get to France that's my ultimate goal. But I'm still not silly enough to think it's going to be that easy."
THE CANBERRA TIMES
