Will Greenwood reveals the three changes he’d make to the England team - Ruck

Will Greenwood reveals the three changes he’d make to the England team

Will Greenwood has been left ‘puzzled’ by a number of selections in Eddie Jones England XV for their Autumn Nations Series opener against Tonga at Twickenham.

“There are no excuses,” wrote Greenwood. “I’m struggling to think of a more powerful England team in my lifetime. Genuinely. Absolute machines all over the place. 

“I think I pretty much called it last week. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever predicted an Eddie Jones team as accurately.

“No, the only area which surprised me – and with which I might quibble – would be the back row.

“I’ll be taking the kids to a fireworks display after the match on Saturday. I just hope that on my first visit to Twickenham as a fan in decades, the display starts early. Out on the pitch.

Below, check out the changes Greenwood would have made.

England’s autumn fixtures

  • England vs Tonga, 3.15pm on Sat 6 Nov
  • England vs Australia, 5.30pm on Sat 13 Nov
  • England vs South Africa, 3.15pm on Sat 20 Nov

Where to watch the Autumn Nations Series:

Prime members can watch the Autumn Nations Series live from 30th October with the Prime Video app on TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Fire tablets, games consoles, on Virgin’s V6 TV Box, the Talk Talk TV set top box, Apple TV, Chromecast, BT TV or online.

For a list of all compatible devices visit amazon.co.uk/watchanywhere.

#1. Alex Dombrandt for Jonny Hill

This would reshape the team with Courtney Lawes moving into the second-row with Tom Curry moving from number 8 to his preferred blindside-flanker role.

Greenwood wrote: “If there is a weakness with Curry and Underhill it’s that while both are good passers, I’m not sure they are great link men.

Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 1 cap) speaks to Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 87 caps) during England Rugby training session at The Lensbury Hotel, Teddington, London on 28 Sept 2021. Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK

“Dombrandt, though, has that vision and passing game. It’s harsh on Sam Simmonds, but the way Dombrandt combines with his half-backs to set up attacks, with those out-the-back offloads, would give England’s back row real balance. 

“You might say Lawes offers an extra lineout threat from six. But honestly you could throw Dombrandt a bar of soap in a monsoon and he’d catch it blindfolded with his left hand. The lad is on fire. I felt he would have given real balance not only to the back row but the back two rows.”

DID YOU KNOW? He captained Wales U20ss in all five of their games in the 2017 Six Nations Under 20s Championship, qualifying as a resident student at a Welsh university. However, he didn’t have any birth, family or residency qualifications to play for Wales at Test level.

CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO