Hooker quiet on deafness so he could reach the top

Former England and British and Irish Lions hooker Mark Regan has revealed he hid his deafness from coaches and teammates and relied on reading lips during his career.

Regan, who played 46 tests for England, was part of the squad that lifted the Rugby World Cup in 2003 and started the final four years later. He played the All Blacks three times, including a draw at Twickenham in 1997.

Regan revealed he has been deaf since he was 2-years-old but never told teammates and coaches during a professional career that lasted 18 years, relying on lip-reading, even on the sport’s biggest stage.

“I kept it a secret because I’d seen it as a weakness and I had to if I wanted to get to the top,” he said.

“A hundred thousand people in the crowd, you’re doing a lineout call to win the World Cup, and you miss the lineout call and you don’t hear it, it’s the difference between winning and losing, isn’t it? And I don’t think anyone or any coach would take that gamble.”

“I can’t hear sur, fur, cur, wur [sounds]. A crowded room is very hard, so I lip read. But I didn’t know any different as a kid. I never told anyone because I’d never get to the top. I can just see it.

“It never got out until I just thought, well, at the end of the day, I wear my hearing aids now, and I wear them with pride. I can hear the leaves whistling, I can hear the birds singing.

“I’m the person who wanted to prove everyone wrong, that I can get to the top. You can succeed. Even with a disability these days, you can get to the top. And I learned very quickly you’re not on your own, you’re with your squad. You’ve got a trust in each other, and believe and be accountable for your actions and learn your role in the team.”