British and Irish Lions Recollections: Will Greenwood recalls experience as last uncapped bolter and says Henry Pollock ‘has to smash people’ | Rugby Union News

If Henry Pollock corresponds to the “Bolter” mold of modern British and Irish lions, his counterpart for the 1997 tour in South Africa was a Will Greenwood.

As the former winner of the Rugby World Cup in England points out and in 2003, however, Pollock is practically “a veteran compared to me”, after having done his debut in the test against the bench against Wales in March, marking twice in his lonely cap to date.

Indeed, before the crunch of the Lions to face the world champion Springboks in 1997, the head coach Ian McGeechan selected Greenwood despite the fact that the 24-year-old has not yet played for England. He remains the last non -capped lions player and it is doubtful that there will be another.

Greenwood is therefore only positioned to give an overview of what Pollock, 20 years old – the rugby player on the lips of most people at the moment – can feel and live today.

By rethinking, Greenwood reveals that he had two moments of disbelief to receive a call from the lions: first due to the buffoonery of the roommate and his other potential Lion Austin Healy, and secondly due to the date.

“In 1997, I was given a letter, unlike all tours since when it was announced live Sky Sports News. There had been rumors, I had half a chance, but they were difficult to believe.

“A bit like Henry Pollock and his wonderful performance to beat Leinster in this semi-final of the Champions Cup in Dublin, in 1997 in Leicester Tigers, we actually put 37 points in Toulouse in the European semi-final and it was probably the day I was chosen. It was a real launch for me, but I did not discover.

“The letter was first hidden by Austin Healy – with whom I lived – for three hours, then I thought he was an April from April. He landed in my mailbox on April 1, 1997, but after a while, I said to myself:” Oh my God, it happens. “”

“I arrived at the Oaklands Park hotel in Weybridge to meet the team, and I was going to be afraid. There were five leicester players in the team, so I knew, but the rest of the guys … Scott Gibbs, Keith Wood, these guys were like superheroes to return. I was terrified.

“I was making room with a giant of a man who became one of my great friends, Scott Quinnell, and I had never met him before in my life. I revealed myself so worried but he came and gave me the biggest hug. It was like being hug by Hagrid.

“Then Allan Bateman came and said:” Hello my friend, I think we will probably play in the team in the middle of the week together because Gibbs-Guscott could be the first test partnership “, so we had a little laughter and a joke immediately.

“Before you know, you are on the ground. Literally, there will just be a time when you spend the ball and then you will do something like doing a little in half, and they go:” Oh okay, it is fine. “”

“It’s such an open environment because everyone is so desperate to win, and they completely trust the coach.

“For me, it is Ian McGeechan and Jim Telfer, who are total legends, and for this lions tour, it is Andy Farrell, who is such a warrior, a brilliant athlete, a competition coach.

“All the other players will go:” If Farrell thinks that Pollock is quite good, then he is quite good. “”

Despite his total lack of rugby experience, Greenwood prospered in 1997 when he started and scored in the first Lions tour match against the East province in Port Elizabeth as part of a 39-11 victory.

He started four of the following seven tour games leading to the first test, where he missed the selection, before his tour then ended frighteningly due to a horrible injury in the last game in the middle of the week between the first and second tests against the cheetahs of the free state.

Greenwood was overturned unconscious of the hard lawn and swallowed his tongue, proving to be insensitive in the field and in the medical room for several minutes in a legendary event of Scotland and Lions, Doctor James Robson – a six -time tourist – described as “horrible”, admitting because he was a few moments to find the open green wood to protect his aircraft.

On the famous Live with lions Documentary from 1997, the anxious cries of Greenwood’s mother can be heard while it is stretched from the field: “William, William, what did you do.”

Robson “saved my life” says Greenwood, and he recorded images on the documentary he says he hopes never to see again.

His advice for Pollock as a young puppy on tour? Do your best to display exemplary characteristics of professionalism and take the opportunity to break the lions against which you are in competition for a starting point, because they do not hold you.

“Well, I don’t think he needs shoulders and be confident, because it’s sort of USP,” said Greenwood.

“The reality is that he just needs to be attached, ready to train. First on the training field, first in the team meeting room. It’s not about sucking, it’s about doing things well.

“Wait (soft toy mascot) Lion Bil, don’t leave the lion.

“When you get on the ground, tear it away. If there is a gap or you have a chance in a contact exercise to break Jac Morgan or Tom Curry, then break it. Because they will crush you.

“This is one of the key things. Fight for your place, because everyone wants it.”

Lions is Willy Wonka Stuff – It’s a good golden ticket

Greenwood is part of a selected group of players to have shot with the Lions at the three heavy goods vehicles in the southern hemisphere, following its 1997 experience in South Africa with trips to Australia in 2001 and New Zealand in 2005.

An ankle injury in 2001 excluded it from the potential selection of tests against the Wallabies, while the 2005 series saw the All Blacks globally beat Lions 3-0.

However, when Greenwood reflects on his lions experience as a whole, he has each visit as special despite their differences.

“They were all incredible. Obviously, the winning series is the one you are talking about most often, but in fact, for the people who have been, it is more than that.

“So often in life, an sportsman or a woman is defined publicly by W or L: winner or major finalist, because it is the way in which a supporter looked at him.

“When you play and you are involved, of course, it is in the bottom of your mind, but they are actually the people with whom you can sit on the bus.

“It is with whom you lead to New Zealand when you are beaten by McCaw and Carter, Umaga and Sivivatu. When you chase the shadows.

“When you are in Australia and there is a huge frustration to be beaten by Australia a game as **** Y where the reference bordered us from the park and we know that we should have won. You must get back on the bus and that’s how you pick up. How after a difficult training session, you get back together.

“You are falling out and trying to explore as many countries as possible without having an impact on your elite sports performance while standing all day. It is a good balance.

“The people I met during the tour in 2005 were just as nice and just as good friends as the people I went on tour in 1997, it’s just that people prefer to talk about 97 because we won.”

Regarding the place where becoming a lion ranks like a sporting achievement, Greenwood’s response illuminates the kind of fantastic feelings felt by the players granted by honor.

“The reality is that you want to be part of everything in life.

“The lions are only one of those really special things that I have supremely grateful that three different coaches have taken a chance on me and gave me the opportunity to visit the most difficult places in the world to play rugby, with some of the best players who have ever played rugby in the northern hemisphere.

“It’s really Willy Wonka. It’s really a good gold ticket.”

Visit of the British and Irish Lions in Australia on Sky Sports

Sky Sports will exclusively show the tour of the British and Irish lions in 2025 in Australia, with the three tests against the Wallabies and six warm -up matches to show exclusively live.