Greenwood keeps faith with England despite loss

Will Greenwood is “very, very bullish” about England’s World Cup chances, despite accusing them of bottling it like USPGA runner-up Jason Dufner in their warm-up defeat in Wales.

World Cup-winning centre Greenwood, who watched England blow chance after chance to kill off their opponents in Saturday’s Test at the Millennium Stadium, also tuned in for the last golf major of the year on Sunday to see Dufner throw away what appeared certain victory in the final few holes.

“Being a humble Englishman leaving Cardiff on Saturday night, they thoroughly deserved their victory,” said the 38-year-old, speaking at Twickenham to promote the second Help for Heroes benefit match, which this year will pit the Northern Hemisphere against the Southern Hemisphere.

“For England, I don’t think it’s a case of throwing the baby out yet with the bathwater. They showed some tremendously powerful passages of play, some tremendous opportunities manufactured.

“But as Jason Dufner found out in the USPGA, you can drive for show but it’s all about putting when it comes down to the big events, and rugby’s the same.

“You can get yourself in the right position, you can find yourself with all the territory in the world, but if you can’t get across the blooming white line then life becomes very difficult.

“So there are some questions that [manager] Martin Johnson still has to resolve. But not being one-eyed, not wearing rose-tinted spectacles, I still believe that this is a very good England side, a very powerful England side. When they get the confidence to play with ball in hand 20, 25 yards out, I feel as though they are going to score. I think they will suddenly turn themselves into a side that no one, absolutely no one – not even New Zealand – will be comfortable about playing in a knockout stage. I’m very, very bullish.”

Greenwood was back by Jason Leonard, the world’s most capped forward and Greenwood’s team-mate in England’s triumphant 2003 side.

“I think England can get there, as they showed in the last World Cup,” said the 42-year-old.

“Everyone had written off England prior to that.”

Despite his optimism, Leonard backed hosts and clear favourites New Zealand to end their recent World Cup hoodoo. It is theirs to lose,” he said. “How they cope with that pressure is going to decide the World Cup.”

Leonard is hoping to convince some of the stars of the tournament to take part in the upcoming Heroes Rugby Challenge at Twickenham on December 3.

The fixture, which was announced yesterday, follows the success of the same event three years ago, where 52,000 spectators helped raise £1.46million for Help for Heroes.