Gregan reportedly set to retire

[aussies1st]

Wallabies captain George Gregan is reportedly set to announce his retirement within days, with next Saturday's match against Wales in Cardiff tipped to be his last.

Gregan, who recently stated his desire to play on until the 2007 World Cup, will end his international career after the Wales clash, according to News Limited newspapers.

The 32-year-old has been under pressure to retain the halfback position after Australia endured a seven-match losing streak, which was snapped against Ireland over the weekend.


Gregan has played 117 matches in a Test career which has spanned 12 years, and the match against Wales would mark the 50th time he has skippered his country.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=73214


Who will replace him at halfback? Will Whits finally get a chance or will they look to youth?

 

[lockyno1]

It won't be Whittaker. It will probally be Henjak or Gittau. Josh Valentine is in the mix too but gets injured a bit too much!

 

[The Colonel]

Gregan denies quit rumour
By Wayne Smith and wires
November 21, 2005

AUSTRALIA captain George Gregan yesterday refuted a report that he was planning to retire after Saturday's Test against Wales in Cardiff, saying he still feels he has something to contribute to the Australian side.

Time on ... Gregan is not about to hang up the boots. Pic: Sam Ruttyn


A report in Sydney's The Daily Telegraph quoted unnamed Australian Rugby Union sources as saying Gregan would draw the curtain on his 117-Test career at the Millennium Stadium where he will captain his country for the 50th time.

"That's news to me," Gregan said in Dublin yesterday.

Since the Wales Test is the last for the Wallabies this year, Gregan said it would be wrong of him to say his career would continue but said it was certainly his intention.

"You have to play well enough but I will be playing Super 14 next year and if the selectors see fit, Test football as well," he said. "I still feel I am contributing and still enjoying it.

"It's a new season jn 2006 and a new start, so I'll start afresh."

The Daily Telegraph reported that Gregan is to go public on his retirement decision within days, "ensuring the 32-year-old an emotional send-off at the same ground where he won the 1999 Rugby World Cup".

The ARU, however, refused to confirm the rumour.

"We don't know anything about it," ARU communications manager Strath Gordon said today.

"I've got no idea where this story has come from. It's just speculation."

Gregan's manager blasted the reports as a "desperate attempt to sell newspapers".

Robert Joske described The Daily Telegraph story as the latest in a string of "sensational" reports regarding the halfback.

Joske said Gregan had not discussed the matter with his management company at all.

"He's denied that he's retiring and there's been no discussions. It's business as usual," Joske said.

"It's another piece of sensational reporting ... and a desperate attempt to sell newspapers." The Australian with AAP

FOX SPORTS
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17311932-32465,00.html

 

[Jackal Dog]

Yep just heard this one too, all I can say is Eddie should be joining him as well.
But I think George will finish off his career in the S14 next year.

 

[aussies1st]

Oh well Gregan isn't going to retire before the WC. Only way to get rid of him is by giving him the axe.

 

[skeepe]

However, as Gregan is the best halfback in Australia that won't be happening.

 

[Jackal Dog]

OK skeepe you are starting to border on BBSF behaviour now...

 

[skeepe]

I disagree. Gregan has done nothing wrong, has shown more at international level than Whitakker or Henjak, has done almost everything possible in his career, and is still one of the great players in the world today.

BBSF, on the other hand, idolises a player who has never and will never achieve anything remarkable.

 

[blackfriday]

skeepe, whatever you are smoking, can i have some too?

 

[Timbo]

Skeepe...You're an idiot.

Whits deserves the #9.

 

[aussies1st]

Notice how our biggest ever win came with Whits as captain and starting halfback. If Henjak was given more of a run he would be miles better than Gregan.

 

[aqua_duck]

I disagree. Gregan has done nothing wrong, has shown more at international level than Whitakker or Henjak, has done almost everything possible in his career, and is still one of the great players in the world today.

Lol that just shows that your watching a different game to everyone else, either that or you know nothing about Rugby

Gregan is a sad imitation of a test halfback, he's shown more at International level than Henjak and Whittaker but that's not hard considering Henjak and Whittaker haven't been given much of a chance. Its like saying Leon MacDonald has shown more at international level than Sitiveni Sivivatu, but it doesn't mean hes a better player.

Gregan is the most one dimensional player in world rugby, he's a myth and has been his whole career. He's cumbersome, small, has no kicking game and has a sub-standard running game. He plays above his weight, i'll give him that but thats not hard when you're 75kg.

 

[skeepe]

Lol that just shows that your watching a different game to everyone else, either that or you know nothing about Rugby

Gregan is a sad imitation of a test halfback, he's shown more at International level than Henjak and Whittaker but that's not hard considering Henjak and Whittaker haven't been given much of a chance. Its like saying Leon MacDonald has shown more at international level than Sitiveni Sivivatu, but it doesn't mean hes a better player.

Gregan is the most one dimensional player in world rugby, he's a myth and has been his whole career. He's cumbersome, small, has no kicking game and has a sub-standard running game. He plays above his weight, i'll give him that but thats not hard when you're 75kg.

Actually it shows that I can think for myself, and not listen to News Limited's outrageous vendetta against this country's greatest ever player. The only rumblings of discontent about Gregan are coming from Sydney, just because an average halfback who plays for the Waratahs wasn't selected as test halfback. Whitakker is average, and nowhere near test standard - he has proven it time and again with shambolic performance after shambolic performance.

In each of the last 2 matches, Gregan was the best scrumhalf on the field. Yes he had a poor game against France, but everyone has those. There is no difference between the Gregan of today and the Gregan of 1999 when we won the world cup. I look forward to seeing Gregan lead us to another victory in 2007.

 

[blackfriday]

gregan is the greatest ever player? a certain mark ella from randwick played for the wallabies, captained them and they won a grand slam.

we dont need to talk about his past performances on this tour because he struggled to do anything but deliver slow ball but hiding behind a crap tight five was probably more justified.

against ireland fitter and holmes held up the scrum fairly well, and australia wasnt so bad at the breakdown. all gregan did was miss attacking opportunities and he didnt do anything but one-out passes. when henjak ran on he started sniping, and australia got comfortably over the gain line because he kept them guessing.

 

[aussies1st]

all gregan did was miss attacking opportunities and he didnt do anything but one-out passes. when henjak ran on he started sniping, and australia got comfortably over the gain line because he kept them guessing.

Hit the nail on the head there, Gregan no longer has those sniping runs. If the opposition were smart they could just leave Gregan and its not like hes going to run. All he will do is pass. Henjak has shown he has that running game which Gregan no longer does. Compare our halfbacks with the ABs one, Henjak would be way closer to them than Gregan.

 

[Jackal Dog]

Actually it shows that I can think for myself, and not listen to News Limited's outrageous vendetta against this country's greatest ever player. The only rumblings of discontent about Gregan are coming from Sydney, just because an average halfback who plays for the Waratahs wasn't selected as test halfback. Whitakker is average, and nowhere near test standard - he has proven it time and again with shambolic performance after shambolic performance.

In each of the last 2 matches, Gregan was the best scrumhalf on the field. Yes he had a poor game against France, but everyone has those. There is no difference between the Gregan of today and the Gregan of 1999 when we won the world cup. I look forward to seeing Gregan lead us to another victory in 2007.

Some good points there Skeepe, we can't forget that Gregan was once up there with the likes of Justin Marshall and Joost vdw when I was growing up my 2 favourite players were Joey Johns and George Gregan in their respective codes, and I agree about the New Ltd bit, Peter Jenkins and Campo seem to have a personal vendetta against him and the way they put sh*t on him is absolutely pathetic, even games this year when I thought George played decent, Jenkins and co. say it is all Gregan's fault.

But surely even you can't deny the facts: as soon as Matt Henjak came on against Ireland, he took a quick tap and made a 30m break and nearly scored, Gregan just doesn't have stuff like that in him anymore. This year he has been comprhensely outplayed by Matt Dawson, Ricky Januarie, Piri Weepu and Jean Baptiste-Ellisadle.

 

[skeepe]

Outplayed by Dawson? Where you watching the game? Even the most rabidly patriotic English hacks admitted Gregan was the better scrum half in that match. He also outplayed Stringer against Ireland, and will probably outplay the Welsh scrum half. Outplaying 3 out of 4 opponents is pretty good form I would have thought.

 

[lockyno1]

Outplayed by Dawson? Where you watching the game? Even the most rabidly patriotic English hacks admitted Gregan was the better scrum half in that match. He also outplayed Stringer against Ireland, and will probably outplay the Welsh scrum half. Outplaying 3 out of 4 opponents is pretty good form I would have thought.

We will NOT win the World Cup with Gregan there! He is too old, too slow, and way too one dimentional! Once Eddie goes, so will his love child! Here's hoping for Jones to be sacked when he returns home!

 

[skeepe]

lockyno1, who would you put in place of Jones? Who do we have at the moment who is a better coach? Cite achievements and recent history to tell me why they are a better coach than Jones.

 

[aussies1st]

I thought I already told you who should replace Jones. David Nucifora took the Brumbies to the title in 04. He doesn't bow down to player pressure like Jones has with Gregan.