Greenwood points finger at academies
WILL Greenwood claims Eddie Jones is wrong to blame a “closeted” private education culture for a lack of backbone and resolve in English rugby.
Instead, the World Cup winner points the finger at club academies for creating one-dimensional, “unrounded” players who lack the ability “to think out the box”.
Greenwood, who was educated at Sedbergh on a sports scholarship, says: “I feel Eddie is wrong. It is not a school problem. Young kids are being dragged into academies and that’s where the blame lies. I do not agree with academies sweeping up the best kids from schools and insisting they focus merely on the rugby.
“Until you become a professional, get out there, play cricket, go swim... go experience new things, become more rounded.
“Specialisation into rugby at academies at such a young age is taking away a much more rounded sporting education as they grow up trying a variety of sports to pick up different skills you can apply.”
Greenwood refutes suggestions the easy life of young rugby stars means they lack an ability to lead: “The culture of players is not the problem. They are just as aggressive and do have that ability to focus and be the best.
“The point he is saying is they don’t have the resolve to play because they are not multi-skilling, trying different sports and having different experiences. He is saying we are not creating a system where we can get players to think outside the box. That we are the best flat-track bullies but when things go crap on the field we are going to lose. I totally agree with that.
“But it’s not because of the education. It’s to do with the academy system. When you are 17 or 18 you should be playing up at Preston Grasshoppers or down at Barnstaple learning from blokes with much more experience and thinking outside the box.
“Clearly there is a role for academies but schools and academies must find ways of working better together to enable them to continue as multi-sport children and not become solely focused on becoming a professional rugby player.”