Will Greenwood

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Will Greenwood
Will Greenwood.jpg
Player information
Full name William John Heaton Greenwood
birthday October 20, 1972
place of birth Blackburn , England
Nickname Shaggy
society
society Career ended
position Inner three quarters
Clubs as active
Years society Games (points)
1990-1994 Waterloo RFC
1994-1996 Harlequins
1996-2000 Leicester Tigers
2000-2006 Harlequins
Teams in youth
Years team
1988-1990 Preston Grasshoppers RFC
National team
Years National team Games (points)
1997-2004 England 55 (155)
1997, 2001, 2005 British and Irish Lions 2 (0)

William John Heaton "Will" Greenwood MBE (born October 20, 1972 in Blackburn ) is a former English rugby union player. He played for the England national team and the British and Irish Lions .

Career

Greenwood began his professional career with the Harlequins in London . He had previously played in Lancashire for the Preston Grasshoppers and the Waterloo RFC . In 1996 he moved to the Leicester Tigers , with whom he won the Pilkington Cup and reached the final of the Heineken Cup . The next season he was nominated for the Lions for the first time without having previously played an international match for England. Although he was not used in any of the tests against South Africa , he was regularly used during the week for the selection. In November of that year he made his national team debut against Australia .

At the 1999 World Cup , Greenwood was in England's squad. The team failed in the quarterfinals to South Africa. The next season he returned to the Harlequins, with whom he could win the Tetley's Bitter Cup and the European Shield . He was part of the English selection that won the Six Nations in 2000 and 2001 . In 2001 he was part of the Lions again, but injuries prevented his use in the friendly matches. In 2003 England reached the Grand Slam . At the 2003 World Cup , his career highlight followed with England's first title win. In the middle of the tournament, he traveled home to his wife, who had difficulties during pregnancy. Ultimately, the first child of the two was born healthy, so that he could travel back to the final against Australia.

After the World Cup victory, Greenwood was named runner-up behind Lawrence Dallaglio and played in all games in the 2004 Six Nations . He played his last international match for England in November 2004 against Australia. In 2005, however, he was part of the Lions again. He was used in two tests of the series against New Zealand , but could not prevent the clear defeats. In his last season he led the Harlequins back to the first division and then ended his playing career.

He has been an expert on television stations and newspapers since retiring. His father Dick Greenwood was also an England international.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ World Cup star Greenwood to quit. BBC, March 4, 2006, accessed October 18, 2009 .

See also

literature

  • Will Greenwood: Will: The Autobiography of Will Greenwood . Arrow Books, 2005, ISBN 0-09-947648-7 .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Greenwood, Will
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Greenwood, William John Heaton
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English rugby player
DATE OF BIRTH October 20, 1972
PLACE OF BIRTH Blackburn , England