Harrison must live with racist label, says Gregan

Wallabies captain George Gregan waxes philosophical on Australian tv tonight. Herald file picture

BRISBANE - Wallabies captain George Gregan has told Test teammate Justin Harrison he must forever deal with the curse of being viewed as a racist.

Gregan, born to a Zambian mother, has spoken of his shock and disappointment at Harrison's racial abuse of black South African winger Chumani Booi in a Super 12 match last month.

In an interview with Andrew Denton to air on his "Enough Rope" programme on the ABC tonight, the rugby union halfback said the racial sledging of Booi was out of character for his long-time friend.

The interview also revealed Gregan, a veteran of a record 106 Tests, sometimes listened to jazz music before matches and his wife Erica regards him as the most hygienic man in the world.

Harrison was suspended for three weeks after admitting to making the comments in a ruck during a win over the Cats. NSW teammate Nathan Grey was initially accused as the offender.

"I was in South Africa at the time so it was big news," Gregan said.

"I was really disappointed by those comments.

"Firstly because it's a terrible thing to say to anyone, and secondly 'cause he's a good friend of mine, Justin, and it's so out of character. I was really shocked by what he said.

"He's always been (a verbal intimidator) but he's never been at that level."

Gregan said he personally urged the veteran Waratah to show he was a better person than what his comments portrayed.

"I said you're just going to have to deal with it and live with it," he said.

"Unfortunately he'll be labelled as a racist for a long period of time, maybe for the rest of his life, but show that there there's more to him than that and it was just a one-off out of character sort of aberration.

"Everyone makes mistakes, that was just a massive mistake."

A father of three, Gregan, 32, also spoke about the condition of his oldest son Max who has been diagnosed with epilepsy.

Erica Gregan said her husband was instrumental in seeing the Wallabies change from messy to metrosexual.

"When we're going out anywhere, he has his shower first before I need to shower, wash my hair, get ready, get dressed and I still sit at the bottom step and wait for him," she said.

"The boys do call him the king of lotions and potions."

Gregan, though, thinks he's old-school compared to some of his team-mates.

"They really are metrosexuals now," he said.

"Even some of the hard type forwards who probably don't like to be named.

"Blokes like Bill Young, Jeremy (Paul) ... Justin Harrison. Terrible. He's got his tint in his hair now.

"I'm not in that league anymore. I was maybe a pioneer but not anymore."

- AAP