Player in the Pod - Will Greenwood

We met up with Will Greenwood to find out more about his involvement in a Natwest initiative to help grassroot clubs become more sustainable. We also got his thoughts on England’s Grand Slam, the upcoming Lions Tour as well as restructuring the Six Nations.

Will, tell us a bit about NatWest RugbyForce, how your involved and how it will benefit rugby communities across the country?

So The RugbyForce initiative is a club focused project to attract more members, players, referees & volunteers to allow clubs become more sustainable so that they continue to be a focal point for friends and families. Natwest has been heavily involved in Grassroots Rugby over the years and It’s an extension of the Natwest Rugby club initiative, which saw 650 clubs receive assistance in the form of expertise from ex-players, heads groundsman as well as some financial support. It’s a great project and crucial for our game.

In terms of growing the game and generating interest at a grassroots level, winning a Grand Slam must help. How impressed have you been with England under Eddie Jones?

He’s done fantastically well in a very short space of time. He’s crossed some t’s and dotted some i’s to build on the great work done by Lancaster. He’s also tweaked a few elements of the England Game plan to give them that ruthless streak and produce a win record of 5 from 5, so overall very impressed.

There’s a real strength in depth available to Jones and a few tough decisions for the tour to Australia. As an area of your expertise, what are your views on the fly half and centre options?

I think you now have two very strong options for each position which is a great place to be. At 10 you have Farrell and Ford battling it out. Tuilagi and Slade offer very different but equally compelling options at 12. And at 13 you have Joseph and Daly. It’s fantastic to have so much depth in the ranks and the good thing is, there’s plenty of club rugby to be played over the coming months for Jones to cast an eye over his options.

More generally, looking at the state of The Six Nations, do you back calls for a restructuring and for some of the changes being called for to be implemented?

You can never be happy with where you are, and you always need to look forward to help improve and advance the game. It’s a tricky question, but it’s a case of having a constant appraisal. That not only means changing things at the top, but also at the grass roots level, whether that be at Junior level, or initiatives like the Natwest RugbyForce. You need to be constantly evolving. Having said that, I have a lot of faith in good people at the right levels in the powers that be, and trust that they will make the right decisions.

Looking forward to the Lions tour, who do you think should be in pole position to coach in New Zealand?

Given his track record of 2013 and getting a very rare Lions series victory, coupled with Wales getting so close to a World Cup Semi-final, Gatland should be favourite to go. There are some other great candidates including Joe Schmidt and Vern Cotter, but Gatland is still in pole position in my eyes.

Finally, back to Grassroots, it’s something you seem really committed to given your involvement in this initiative as well as School of Hard Knocks. What motivates you?

First and foremost, I’ve Always loved throwing the ball around and being involved in Junior and club level. I grew up around the Rugby Club and love being a part of it. My father is still involved at the age of 74 and it’s something I hope to do for a long time to come. I really appreciate the support and hope to see continued growth in this area of our great game

Will Greenwood is a NatWest RugbyForce 2016 Legend, bringing his playing and business experience to help grassroots clubs become more sustainable. To register for a chance to have Will join your rugby club’s board visit www.englandrugby.com/natwestrugbyforce

Interview by Fred Culazzo - Editor of The Rugby Pod - www.TheRugbyPod.com