KEY POINTS:
For someone about to play a world record 134th test, it seems odd that George Gregan's story has not been told in print.
Apparently that will happen next year when author Geoff Armstrong completes the work, but that seems out of sync with Gregan's extraordinary career in the
Wallaby colours.
The explanation may be that Gregan is revered more on this side of the Tasman than he is in his homeland.
The 34-year-old has been in regular skirmishes with sections of the Australian media and prominent ex-Wallabies about his claims to be the test halfback. Current coach John Connolly and before him Eddie Jones have pondered and used others.
But Gregan, who has captained the Wallabies in 56 tests and may be reinstalled as skipper for the World Cup, has always rebounded.
Whichever way you dice his career he has been a remarkably resilient contributor, although he is not in the top drawer of Wallaby halfbacks - a possible reason for some of the lukewarm acceptance across the Ditch.
Other halfbacks such as Ken Catchpole, John Hipwell, Des Connor and Nick Farr-Jones have stronger reputations but nothing like Gregan's longevity - Farr-Jones had the next longest career with 63 caps.
George Musarurwa Gregan was born in Zambia where his Australian father and Zimbabwean mother were working, before he shifted to Australia when he was a year old. He lived in Canberra for much of his life and it was from the nation's capital that he was first chosen for the Wallabies against Italy in 1994.
He has also played 136 Super rugby games for the Brumbies and this year was honoured with five-eighths Stephen Larkham, when the pair had the Eastern Grandstand renamed after them. Tack on the 134 tests and Gregan has scarcely had time away from top-level rugby.
He is not finished either. After his fourth World Cup this year, he has signed on with the Toulon club in France where he will be able to swap rugby tales with coach Tana Umaga and Andrew Mehrtens, Victor Matfield and Anton Oliver.
That contract will be a massive test of Gregan's ability to manipulate the referees if his French is not up to scratch. In working over referees and influencing match officials, Gregan rates right up there with Sean Fitzpatrick.
His match savvy has rescued the Wallabies on many occasions while his skills have worked similar wonders like the try-saving tackle on All Black wing Jeff Wilson at the Sydney Football Stadium in 1994.
A chirpy Gregan was magnanimous this week, claiming Wilson deserved to be recalled as a great wing - not for that glitch.
"It certainly made a mark, but I've probably made a more important tackle in the Lions series, it's just no one saw it," Gregan said, referring to a tackle on Lions wing Iain Balshaw during the third test against the Wallabies in 2001.
"No one saw it, the cameras missed it unlike 1994, but Roffy [Joe Roff] thanked me because it was his man," he said.
Gregan's hit on Wilson was as renowned as his "four more years" sledge on Byron Kelleher when the Wallabies shocked the All Blacks in the 2003 World Cup semifinal upset. The Wallaby halfback was bashful about where that taunt rated on his sledgometer.
"I don't really rate my sledges ... it's just one of those things, things get said on the field, some get caught on camera," Gregan said.
"It's just a bit of gamesmanship really. I've been on the end of a lot of those from the likes of Sean Fitzpatrick and others ... but I enjoy playing here, they're good sports and enjoy their rugby.
"I've always had a high regard for New Zealand rugby and the culture of the place. This particular match is the last time I'll be playing but it won't be the last time I come back, that's for sure."
As long as it is not in four years' time, as part of a promotional tour involving the World Cup holders.
