Australian rugby captain George Gregan has denied published reports that he’s planning to retire from international play before the 2007 World Cup.
The Weekend Australian newspaper said on Saturday that Gregan (32) will announce his future plans in the coming days and that his last Test could be the Tri-Nations match on Sept. 3 against New Zealand at Auckland.
”That’s just fictitious,” Gregan said of the report. ”That’s got nothing to do with where I am at the moment.”
Gregan has been criticised this season during the Wallabies’ four-game losing streak.
If scrumhalf Gregan does not tour Britain and France with the Wallabies in November, the All Blacks test would leave him tied with former England prop Jason Leonard’s world record of 114 Test caps.
Gregan made his international debut in 1994 against Italy and has played in three World Cups, including in Rod Macqueen’s victorious 1999 team. Succeeding John Eales as captain in 2001, Gregan led Australia to the final of the 2003 World Cup in Sydney, which it lost 20-17 to England.
The newspaper also said Gregan was reported to have signed an agreement to play for Japanese club Suntory when he finishes in Australia. Gregan has already committed to playing another season with the ACT Brumbies in the Super 14 competition in 2006. – Sapa-AP