No regrets as Regan calls time on Bristol Rugby career

Mark Regan will bow out of competitive rugby after Bristol's Guinness Premiership game at Leicester tomorrow – and admits he is relieved his career is coming to an end.

The 37-year-old hooker, who has won 46 England caps and one Lions cap during an illustrious career, will hang up his boots after nearly 20 years in the top flight.

And he says he is retiring without any regrets, after beginning to see the physical impact of the professional game take its toll on his body.

Regan has played more than 400 competitive matches since breaking into the Bristol team in 1991, and has gained a World Cup winner's medal and an MBE along the way.

But he knows the time is now right to call it a day.

"It is a bit weird and I will probably be a bit emotional on the day, but it's something I've prepared for and I'm looking forward to," said Regan.

"I feel relieved. You get to a certain time and your body hurts when you go out training.

"I said to the fitness guys after training just now, 'this will be the last time you'll see me running around under your guidance'.

"That's the last time I'll be running out to poles and back, etcetera, because we'll have the team run, then the game – and that is it then, it's over.

"The guys will be coming in on June 8 and I'll just be going out on the paddock grazing, so I am looking forward to it.

"I've got no regrets at all. I couldn't play another season. I really would not fancy that."

Regan left Bristol Rugby for Bath in 1997 and was part of the first English side to lift the Heineken Cup while at the Recreation Ground.

He then moved on to Leeds, who he helped win the Powergen Cup and qualify for the Heineken Cup, before returning to Bristol in 2005.

"I had to make the right decision, and the right decision at the time was to move to Bath," said the proud Bristolian. "I went there and proved that by winning the Heineken Cup and continuing to play for England.

"Then I went to Leeds and won the Powergen Cup and helped them into the Heineken Cup, before coming back to Bristol and helping them into the Heineken Cup.

"Coming back to Bristol was a great decision. I came back here a retired rugby international – and ended up being first choice at the World Cup and playing in the final."

And as he prepares to call time on his competitive career, Regan is not allowing himself to think about retirement itself until he has given his all against Leicester.

Tomorrow's trip to the Walkers Stadium may appear a daunting fixture for already-relegated Bristol, but Regan wants to bow out on a high.

"I wasn't quite right to play last week, but I still managed to say goodbye to most of the fans at the Memorial Stadium when I walked round with the players after the game," he said.

"This weekend we're at Leicester, but I'll go anywhere and play. We know it's a tough game and we know there's something tangible on it for Leicester. We also know we're not as good as Leicester, full stop. The stats don't lie and we don't have as good players as Leicester.

"But we can go there and play with some pride and passion – and we're going there as the last 22 to play together in a Bristol shirt in the Premiership for a while.

"There are lots of other guys leaving, too, and they don't want to finish on a low. We don't want to go up there and get a panning, put it that way."