Introduced to the game when eight at Keynsham RFC, he moved to St Brendan’s Old Boys minis and then played through Bristol’s age group sides. He has represented England 16 Group, 18 Group, Colts, Students, U21s, Emerging Players and England A, for whom he scored two tries against Wales A at Ashton Gate, Bristol in 2002. He also played for the British and Irish Lions in the final Test against the Springboks in 1997.
He returned to help rejuvenate his home city club of Bristol from Leeds Tykes in 2005, where he had spent four years. During his spell at Headingley Carnegie, he helped the Tykes to beat Bath, another of his former clubs, 20-12 in the Powergen Cup final at Twickenham in 2005.
He completed his benefit year with Bristol in April 2007, raising funds for the Wooden Spoon Society and the Bristol Children’s Society.
Mark Regan was nicknamed ‘Ronnie’ after the former President of the United States, by the late and great Elwyn Price, Bristol’s talent spotter, who would say “That bugger Regan has plenty to say for himself, but he can play a bit. I knew it from the first time I saw him. He’s a hard nut, too. Bloody tough. Some people think he’s as daft as a brush, but those who come up against him think differently.”
