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Rugby league legend dies at 43

19/11/2007

Former Great Britain captain Mike Gregory has died at the age of 43 after losing his fight against a neurological disease.

Gregory, who also worked as head coach at his hometown club of Wigan, is believed to have contracted the illness from an insect bite sustained whilst accompanying the Great Britain academy side on a tour of Australia in 2003.

The bite is thought to have triggered the progressive muscular atrophy which left the former Warrington loose forward confined to a wheelchair in the last year of his life.

He is survived by his wife Erica and two young sons.

Gregory spent almost all of his playing career with Warrington and won 20 caps for his country.

Under his captaincy the Lions gained two Test series victories over New Zealand and his spectacular long-range try on the team's tour of Australia in 1988 sealed the first British test win against the Kangaroos for a decade.

After hanging up his boots Gregory was hired as Shaun McRae's assistant at St Helens and helped guide the Saints to the inaugural Super League title.

A spell in charge of Swinton followed before he joined Wigan and worked his way through the ranks to become head coach in July 2003.

He took the Warriors to a Grand Final while employed on a caretaker basis before taking on the job permanently and challenging for silverware again with a Challenge Cup final appearance the following May.

However the 32-16 defeat to St Helens was to be his last match in charge before he stood down due to his declining health.