George Gregan

Nationality: Australian Born: 19 April 1973 Height: 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) Star sign: Aries Famous for: Being Captain of the Wallabies, the national Australian Rugby Union team and for starting a foundation that raises money for research into epilepsy. Quirky Quote:

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Born in Zambia to a Zambian mother and Australian father, on 19 April 1973, George Gregan has made more appearances for a national Rugby Union team than any other player in history. His first match for the Australian Wallabies was in 1994, against Italy in Brisbane. In the same year, Gregan made a tackle on All Black Jeff Wilson that directly led to Australia’s victory in the Bledisloe Cup. In the history of the Wallabies-All Blacks rivalry, this one has been fondly remembered.

Gregan was promoted to Vice-Captain of the Wallabies in 1997, and in 1999, the Wallabies stormed home to victory in the World Cup, becoming the only nation to win the Cup twice, with a 35-12 triumph over France. When Captain John Eales retired from international competition in 2001, Gregan became his natural replacement, and in 2003 played in every one of Australia’s matches in the 2003 World Cup. Although Australia lost to England in the final, Australia’s defiant win over the All Blacks in the semi-final is fondly remembered. Revenge was sweet in 2004. In a World Cup match replay in Brisbane, Australia trampled the English team underfoot with a 51 to 15 win. Under Gregan’s Captaincy, the Wallabies only lost three matches in 2004. Gregan was awarded the Order of Australia for his services to Rugby Union Football in 2004, and in the following year, played his 100th match for Australia as a Wallaby.

Recently, Gregan and his wife Erica have started a franchise café chain, with ten stores already in Sydney. After their son was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2004, they launched the George Gregan Foundation, which helps to fund a Fellowship in Neurology at Westmead’s Children’s Hospital in Sydney, and builds outdoor specialised playgrounds in children’s hospitals.