Quick Facts
Biography
Ronald Phillip O'Regan is a New Zealand former rugby league player and coach who represented his country between 1983 and 1986. His nephew, Daniel, played for the New Zealand Warriors.
Playing career
In 1981 and 1983, while playing for City Newton, O'Regan won the Rothville Trophy, awarded to the player of the year in the Auckland Rugby League competition. He toured England with the New Zealand Māori side in 1983.
Between 1983 and 1986 O'Regan represented New Zealand, playing in eight Test Matches for his country.
O'Regan spent the 1981-82 and 1982-83 off seasons in England, playing for the Barrow Raiders and also represented the Mt Albert Lions. In 1987 O'Regan toured England again, this time with the Auckland side.
In 1988 O'Regan was the player-coach of the Te Atatu Roosters and guided them to winning the Fox Memorial. He won the Hyland Memorial Cup that year as coach of the year.
Coaching career
O'Regan later became a full-time coach of the Roosters and in 1993 nearly repeated the feat, as the Roosters lost the Fox Memorial grand final 10-29 to the Northcote Tigers.
O'Regan was the coach of the Waitakere City Raiders in the Lion Red Cup in 1994 and 1995.
Later years
O'Regan now trains greyhounds in Paeroa. In 2006 he was involved with a doping scandal that saw a vet banned from the sport for 10 years.