Will Greenwood
Rugby Union Expert & Columnist @willgreenwood
Former England international Will Greenwood speaks to Sky Sports News to reflect on the defeat to Scotland at Twickenham in Saturday’s opening Six Nations match and look ahead to this weekend’s game at home to Italy
Last Updated: 06/02/23 5:50pm
England Owen Farrell was dejected after the defeat to Scotland on Saturday
Will Greenwood believes England need to revert to picking specialists centres and a fly-half, but says wider issues around the attacking game should be the focus.
The decision of new head coach Steve Borthwick to keep deploying captain Owen Farrell at inside centre with Marcus Smith at fly-half has come under scrutiny following the 29-23 defeat to Scotland in Saturday’s Six Nations opener at Twickenham.The former England centre would prefer to see a specialist at No 12, although he acknowledges the options are limited following Borthwick’s decision to drop Manu Tuilagi, and with midfield duo Henry Slade and Elliot Daly both sidelined due to injury along with 21-year-old Leicester Tigers star Dan Kelly. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Will Greenwood feels the Owen Farrell-Marcus Smith partnership for England might have been a result of the ‘slightly forced’ nature of Steve Borthwick’s available options. Will Greenwood feels the Owen Farrell-Marcus Smith partnership for England might have been a result of the ‘slightly forced’ nature of Steve Borthwick’s available options. However, speaking to Sky Sports News, Greenwood added that he felt the bigger concern was around the work Borthwick and attack coach Nick Evans need to do in encouraging the players not to stand deep from the opponents’ defensive line when on the offensive.”I’ve sort of felt that [England need to] pick a fly-half and pick two centres,” Greenwood said. “Steve’s hand has been slightly forced; he could have picked Manu, but with Dan Kelly out – I think which is where they could have gone – Slade out, Daly out, a lot of his centres were unavailable.”Tha …