Rugby League in mourning as British Lion Mike Gregory dies at 43

The Wigan- born former Warrington loose forward, who never played for his home-town club but led them out as coach at the Challenge Cup Final, had been confined to a wheelchair for the past 12 months.

Man on the run: Gregory races in for his historic try in Sydney 19 years ago

Shaun Edwards, the boyhood pal who became a Wigan icon and now Wasps coach, summed up the sense of loss that left the sport reeling: 'On the pitch he was a warrior. Off it, he was full of life, full of fun. As a coach he cared deeply for his players. It was heartbreaking to see him suffer.'

Former Wigan and Great Britain centre Joe Lydon added: 'Anyone who played with him or against him, or watched him play, would have respected Mike for his courage.

'He brought that same courage to his fight against an appalling illness. We are all lucky to have known him.'

Gregory's family — he leaves a widow Erica and two sons, Sam, nine, and Ben, five — traced his illness back to an insect bite while on a tour of Australia with the Great Britain academy team in 2003.

It is thought the bite caused him to develop progressive muscular atrophy, a form of motor neurone disease. It led to the acrimonious end of his coaching career at Wigan, who paid up his contract.

Gregory played virtually his entire career with Warrington and won 20 caps for Great Britain, the most memorable of them in the third Test in Sydney in 1988 when his long-range try clinched the first Great Britain Test victory over Australia in a decade.

He also skippered his country to two Test series victories over New Zealand.

Maurice Lindsay said: 'I had the privilege to be Great Britain tour manager in 1990 to Papua New Guinea and New Zealand with Mike as captain. He was an inspirational leader both on and off the pitch.

'We had a lot of top players missing from that tour, but Mike was outstanding. He led from the front, and insisted on playing in the second Test against New Zealand despite being injured. We won.'

He began the Super League era as assistant to coach Shaun McRae at St Helens, who lifted the inaugural Super League title and twice won the Challenge Cup at Wembley during his time on the staff.

Gregory then coached Swinton before joining the backroom staff at Wigan, initially as academy coach and then as assistant to Stuart Raper.

He succeeded Raper at the JJB Stadium in July 2003 and, after guiding the Warriors to an 11-match unbeaten run that culminated in a Grand Final appearance, he was given the job full time on a two-year contract.

Gregory took Wigan to the Challenge Cup final at Cardiff the following May, but that defeat by his old club St Helens was to prove his last match.

He had suffered flu-like symptoms when he returned from Australia in February 2003. When he collapsed on the team coach a week before the Grand Final that October, it was put down to stress.

But by the end of the year he began to realise it might be something altogether more serious. His later dispute with Wigan as to whether he was well enough to carry on coaching almost went to a tribunal.

He had never played for the club despite approaches and being scouted as a 17-year-old.

'With all the trophies Wigan won, maybe I should have left,' he told Sportsmail 18 months ago. 'But I have no regrets. I enjoyed playing at Warrington and they always looked after me.'

Indeed, Warrington raised over £30,000 from a pre-season benefit match towards his legal and medical bills, while 3,000 turned out for the 'Hike for Mike' organised by a committee of Wigan fans.

Other fans undertook a sponsored bike ride from Whitehaven to Newcastle. One even did a triathlon.

Warrington chairman Lord Hoyle said: 'Mike served our club with distinction for 12 years. His brave battle against illness has been an inspiration to us all. He will be greatly missed by all his friends here.'

Gregory factfile

Born: May 20 1964, Wigan.

Played 12 years for Warrington. Captain in their last Challenge Cup final in 1990.

Captained GB to two Test series victories over New Zealand.

Assistant coach at St Helens, winning one Super League title and two Challenge Cups.

Head coach at Wigan, reaching Grand Final and Challenge Cup Final.