RONNIE READY TO ROCKET 
A legend of the game, 35-year-old Bristol hooker Mark Regan talks to rucked.com ahead of England’s semi-final…
How excited are you right now?
Very excited, I’m really looking forward to playing on Saturday. I’ve forgotten about last weekend now – that’s done and dusted. Now we’ve France on home soil in Paris – there’s no bigger situation to be in is there?
Are you confident?
Of course we are, we knew that we had a performance in us and we did that last week and we know we’ve got another one in us too.
Is it better the second time around?
It’s nicer to be involved in the position I am this time around. Last time I was third choice and now I’ve managed to get myself back in and as first choice against France. A lot of hard work has gone in behind the scenes, but that phone call to Brian Ashton back in February was well worth it.
You rang up Ashton?
I was watching England on television and just thought I could still play for my country. I rang up Brian and said: ‘look I’m not saying I’m the world’s best hooker, but you know that when I put on an England shirt I’ll give it everything’. And he said he wanted people who wanted to play for England and they’d come and watch me.
How does getting back in the England side for the semi-finals rank in your achievements?
It’s got to be up there with the Lions, the World Cup last time, getting your first cap – I’m coming to the end of my career and I want to go out on a massive high and there’s no better place to do that that in a World Cup.
A familiar enemy in France?
I’ve played them a few times. Last week we’d won the forward battle before we started – they were obviously afraid of us and we knew that the forwards were going to have a good day in the office. This week is a different kettle of fish, we know we’ve got to perform and play against a French side that prides itself on a forward pack. So do we, so it should be a good battle.
How different is your role in the side this time?
There’s eight guys including myself and Simon Shaw who are in the team this week that were sat on the sidelines four years ago. And I keep reassuring players like Shaun Perry and Lee Mears who aren’t involved – I tell them to keep their heads up and keep training hard – you never know what might happen. Those guys are the backbone of the squad because if they start going off tour, the bench starts doing the same and then the whole squad follows.
Is this squad tighter than 2003?
I think it most probably is, we’ve taken a lot of hits and we’ve ring-fenced ourselves. We’re battle hardened – we know the press are on our back, the supporters have been on our back and it galvanises the team and that’s what it did last week. Now it’s a matter of saying right, we’re here and we’re defending champions.
And the same side two games running!
For the first time in his England coaching career Brian’s been able to pick the same side two weeks on the trot, it gives us a massive boost. There was no selection meeting, no flipchart, it was just a case of ‘same again, thanks very much guys, go back and do it again this week’.
And a big Bristolian influence?
I think there’s five ex-Bristol players in this squad (Martin Corry, Simon Shaw, Andrew Sheridan, Josh Lewsey) and when were together if you’d have said back then that we would end up playing in the semi-final of a World Cup together, we’d have thought you were having a right laugh.
Is there likely to be a bit of on-pitch banter at the weekend?
You’re blowing out of your arse too much to start chatting, but that sort thing does happen. Although I’m sure I’ll be breathing out of my arse far too much on Saturday to do that.
Did you give Matt Dunning a bit of sledging at the weekend?
I don’t know, I think his own team was calling him Telly Tubby! Or was it Roly Poly? I don’t know, I didn’t call him any names…
And beyond the World Cup – you’ve surprised a few this time, how about 2011?
Will I be here [with England] in four years time? If they thaw me out, possibly. I could be here zimmer frame and all.