MARK REGAN has never quite fitted the bill as a rugby elder statesman, but this is the role he has been assigned by England coach Brian Ashton leading up to Saturday’s first Test against the Springboks.
Regan, 35, recalled three years after angrily declaring his international retirement, said: “As forwards, we have to hunt like a pack of dogs.”
This is colourful language which tells his callow colleagues precisely how it will be.
Indeed, by the time Regan and the rest of Ashton’s party of “plumbers and decorators” fly to Bloemfontein tomorrow, he intends to have imparted the knowledge he has acquired in 12 off-and-on years as an England hooker and four previous Test appearances against South Africa.
Regan said: “I see this as one of my main roles as well as being a performer on and off the pitch – preparing the players we have here and helping John Wells, the forwards’ coach, and all the coaches with what I’ve learnt and know about South Africa.
I have to try to be a leader and bring leadership out in the players.
Mark Regan
“I have to try to be a leader and bring leadership out in the players. We are all good players but the trick is to bring this out with England as well as in their own environment, their comfort zone at the clubs. There’s more responsibility on me, of course there is.”
This is quite a change, since Regan has previously been seen as a bit of a lad. He won the last of his 33 caps in Australia in 2004, then took offence when the newly installed England coach, Andy Robinson, did not consider him – the man in possession – among his best three hookers.
Robinson was an old Bath team-mate and Regan felt badly bruised when Steve Thompson, Lee Mears and George Chuter were preferred in Robinson’s first post-Sir Clive Woodward squad.
His subsequent form has been as good as ever. Regan, treated kindly at his venerable age by coach Richard Hill, made a wonderful contribution to Bristol’s ascent of the Premiership, and when Robinson was ousted in favour of Ashton he rapidly informed the new England man of his renewed availability.
“I certainly don’t regret making the decision. Back then I closed the door, and people know the reasons why,” said Regan. “When Brian took over I did ring him to offer my services.
“Maybe I might not have been here if they had brought their first-team players, but if there’s a chance you have to take it.”
Which is a reminder that, with his hat back in the ring, Regan now has a shot at the impending World Cup, his accidental roughing-up of Ashton in training this week merely reinforcing his claim at first hand.
With Jonny Wilkinson absent with a stomach bug, the 60-year-old coach kindly filled in as Regan’s training partner and his selflessness was rewarded by being dumped on the turf and clouted in the face.
“He is quite strong for an older guy,” said Regan, making the best of an undiplomatic job. “I picked him up and brushed him down. He’s good, old Brian, he interacts with the players.
“Much of the structure is the same but there’s a more relaxed atmosphere. Brian is a great coach and it’s not so regimented. Could you see Woodward getting down on all fours and wrestling with the players?”
Sensibly for one of his age, Regan is not allowing himself to think beyond the Bloemfontein Test. If he did harbour hopes for the global tournament in France in four months, they could swiftly be dashed by the Springboks.
Yesterday Bok coach Jake White named a team including eight of the XV who prevailed the last time England played South Africa last November and Regan is properly wary.
“There is a chance for everyone to go away as a hero,” he said. “We know it will be tough and we may well lose, but we don’t want to make this a tour from hell. We could possibly shock the world.”
South Africa: Montgomery; Willemse, Olivier, De Villiers, Habana; James, Januarie; Carstens, Smit (capt), BJ Botha, B Botha, Matfield, Burger, Smith, Rossouw. Replacements: Steenkamp, G Botha, Van der Linde, Muller, Spies, Pienaar, Steyn.
Video 
