Offaly man Jack Regan performed the Haka for the Highlanders before taking on the Crusaders in New Zealand’s Super Rugby this morning.
The former Ireland U20 international and son of Offaly All-Ireland winning hurling hero Daithi, only moved to New Zealand last year after three seasons with the Ulster academy.
Birr native Regan, a 6ft 6ins, 17 stone forward, played 66 minutes for the Highlanders in a 26-13 defeat to last season’s champions Crusaders on the opening game of the new campaign.
The unexpected Haka brought a packed Forsyth Barr Stadium to life pre-game with a host of All Black stars on show.
Regan later got involved in a scuffle with New Zealand prop Joe Moody, who was fortunate to escape sanction, while Kiwi stars Codie Taylor and Sam Whitelock combined for the first Crusaders try as they raced 14-0 ahead.
“Jack Regan doing the haka is one of the best/funniest things I’ve ever seen, some mush for a few belts too,” commented one Irish supporter online.
His father, Offaly legend Daithi, was referenced by the well-informed Kiwi commentary team during the game.
“It’s a big plus that Jack loves the New Zealand style of rugby, that he’s settled in very well in Dunedin and that he feels very privileged to have gotten this opportunity,” said Regan on his son this week.
Regan didn’t start to play the oval-ball game until he was 13, having previously exclusively focussed on hurling with the Birr club, for the previous four years.
