Gregan up for 2003 defence
July 27, 2001

Australian scrumhalf George Gregan wants to be around to help the Wallabies defend their world title in 2003.

The ACT Brumbies captain who lifted the Super 12 title earlier this season has yet to signed any agreement with the ARU but has declared his intention to stick around.

The 28-year-old said the uncertainty surrounding the new Wallaby coach and the success of the Sydney Olympics were factors that he took into account, with the 2003 world cup set to be held in Australia and New Zealand.

Now that Brumbies coach Eddie Jones was in place with the national side he has made his mind up.

"I want to stay in Australia with the next World Cup coming our way (in 2003) and be part of it with the group of players that are going on," Gregan was quoted as saying. The coaching was a variable hanging overhead. Now we know with certainty what's in front us with Eddie as the new man," he said.

Jones' first game in charge of the world champions comes this Saturday in South Africa against a Springbok side desperate to take some points out of their home leg of the Tri-Nations.

Zambian born Gregan is tipped as the natural successor as captain of the Wallabies when John Eales retires at the end of the Tri-Nations.

He was at the hub of Rod Macqueen's all-conquering Australian side that won the World Cup, the Bledisloe Cup, the Tri-Nations title and claimed an historic series win against the Lions this month.

It had been thought that Gregan would follow other Wallaby World Cup winners to the northern hemisphere to end his career but it seems that will not happen now until after 2003.

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