'Autograph from Ma'a Nonu' – Zebre star Scott Gregory recalls moment that sparked his rugby dream

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Born in New Zealand, Scott Gregory has come a long way to play for Italian outfit Zebre Parma in the United Rugby Championship. The 26-year-old arrived in Italy from the Highlanders in 2023 and has taken up a starring role within the Parmenese midfield.

Gregory broke into the New Zealand provincial set-up with Northland Taniwha, a team native to Gregory’s home-town of Whangārei upon the North Island. However, Gregory would make his Super Rugby break through with the Highlanders of Dunedin, and soon racked up their air miles as he yo-yoed between New Zealand’s North and South Islands.

After three years of flying back and forth for his provincial and Super Rugby commitments, a move to the Southland Stags seemed like a no-brainer. The midfielder made a new home upon the coast of New Zealand’s southerly town, before up-rooting with a move to the Northern Hemisphere and soaking in the glorious Italian sunshine. But what inspired Gregory’s globetrotting career and ignited his passion for the sport – the Zebre man recalls a moment from his childhood that ignited the spark.

"I remember a moment," he says. "Going with my old man to a Northland game. They were actually going through a tough period and were going to get booted out of the NPC competition. We had a lot of support, a lot of people from our region turned up to the game. It was a cool atmosphere. I was young, probably 10 years old.

"I can also remember travelling down to Auckland, which was a couple of hours where I lived, and we went to watch the Blues and Hurricanes game. That probably leads back to the other question where I did get an autograph off Ma'a Nonu!"

But All Blacks legend and RC Toulon midfielder Nonu, was not Gregory's hero growing up. That spot was reserved for another New Zealand legend, despite the positional allignments between Gregory and the dreadlocked juggernaut of New Zealand’s 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup triumphs.

"I think Brad Thorn would be that player," Gregory says. "He was amazing and a good man of faith as well. He was someone I looked up to and aspired to be like. There's also a player, Richard Buckman, mate he was awesome."

"He just fitted in everywhere for the Highlanders. He was the sort of guy you could put in any position and he'd turn up and play really well. I've taken that role myself sometimes, being able to play in quite a lot of positions. He's been someone that's really cool to look up to."

But Gregory's real inspiration growing up was a lot closer to home; "As a kid, my dad's always backed me a lot and always said I'm going to do really well and be a professional rugby player one day.

"So it's been awesome to have such great support from my parents. I've always had that feeling, that I wanted to grow up and have those aspirations. Obviously to be an All Black too is the main one. I've still hopefully got some time to go back and do that one day. Even from a young age, I've always had those aspirations to try and do really well in rugby."

Growing up in New Zealand, rugby was always going to play a big role in his life.

"It's our national sport – everyone loves rugby," Gregory adds. "It's competitive from a young age. You've got parents jumping in there and supporting their kids and everything. It's an awesome environment. Everyone just wants to play footy. "

But is there one bit of advice he'd give himself if he could go back?

"I think I'd tell him to focus on just improving his rugby game and not worry about selection and all that," he adds. Of course that stuff is hard and everyone wants to get out and play rugby. And that can probably be the hardest part of professional rugby or any other sport.

"The times you're not selected, especially when you're young and you've got aspirations… Just go out and focus on getting your rugby better. I had a coach tell me that when I was a couple of years into the Highlanders actually and that really helped at the time to just go 'Right, I'm just going to go out and focus on my skills, getting my rugby better.’ I think that's something I'd tell my younger self."

Quotes provided by URC Media

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