Rugby World Cup winner's incredible secret he kept from teammates

Few players will ever scale ‘Rugby’s Everest’ to become a Rugby World Cup winner, given the myriad of factors required to reach the pinnacle of the game. Yet, in the case of those special squads who achieve the ultimate glory, those individual players will have their names etched into the history books.

In the face of such adversity as a ‘normal player’, the story of England’s Mark Regan, who spoke eloquently about his challenges as a hearing impaired player following his retirement in 2009, is one of the truly remarkable tales of overcoming adversity.

Speaking to England Rugby about the challenges he overcame as a player, “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.”

Delving into the extent of his impairment, the former hooker said,  “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, I 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.”

Born in Bristol, Regan would go on to play for his hometown club as well as Leeds Tykes and local rivals Bath during his twelve-year professional career. Speaking frankly, the 52-year-old was said that instead of seeing his impairment as a negative he used it to fuel the fire that burnt within him to be successful.

“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.”