WARRIOR NATION SALUTES GLASGOW
GLASGOW Warriors captain Al Kellock shows off the Guinness Pro12 trophy to their legions of fans at George Square after an open-top bus tour from Scotstoun to the city centre yesterday
WILLGREENWOOD believes it will be crucial to have firstchoice centres Alex Dunbar and Mark Bennett fit in time to join Scotland’s ‘ heck of a backline’ at this year’s World Cup.
The former England centre, who lifted the Webb Ellis trophy back in 2003, is a huge admirer of both players.
Dunbar has been out of action since March, when a freak training ground incident saw him rupture his anterior cruciate ligament. Bennett has a better chance of making the start line for the showpiece tournament in September and October and is currently recovering from shoulder surgery.
But Greenwood knows that being able call on both men would make a huge difference to Vern Cotter’s line-up.
‘If Dunbar was fit and there was a Lions tour this summer I would definitely take him — I am a huge fan of his,’ he said. ‘Mark Bennett — he reminds me of (former Wales and Lions centre) Allan Bateman so much. His physique is like Allan’s and he is really fast over 10 or 20 metres. He doesn’t look fast, but he covers the ground and has a low error count.’
The 42-year-old was speaking at a sun- kissed Lothian Park in Jedburgh yesterday as t he five-day Rugby World Cup Trophy tour of Scotland began.
And Greenwood believes Dunbar and Bennett are just two of the exciting backs to have turned Scotland into a real attacking threat in the last 12 months.
‘There was a time a few years back when I could not name the Scottish backline because I wasn’t sure who was in, who was out and such like,’ he admitted. ‘There was a lot of inconsistency in selection, but now I am going: “Wow, that is a heck of a backline”.
‘As mentioned I hope that Dunbar and Bennett get fit, while you have got Tommy Seymour, Stuart Hogg, Finn Russell, Henry Pyrgos and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, who all impress me.
‘Rugby is changing all of the time. When we won the World Cup in 2003 it was because we were the best defensive team around.
‘You only have to have watched the Six Nations to see that attack is now the way to go and I think that suits Scotland’s style.
‘It is clear that Scotland have a lot of Glasgow players in the backs, which is exciting because they showed no f ear i n the Munster (Pro12 final) game and the backline was superb.’
Scotland are in Pool B and look likely be fighting it out with Samoa for the second spot behind South Africa to see who progresses to the last eight.
Greenwood knows that the Scots will need to improve from their showings in the Six Nations — when they lost all five matches — to make an impact. However, he expects t hem to r each t he quarter-finals and a meeting with England at Twickenham.
‘In the Six Nations, Scotland should have won in France while against Wales the tip tackle from Finn Russell, which put him out for a spell, just made them lose their momentum and then a few injuries came,’ he added.
‘At key moments you saw enough quality, though, and if they can produce that for longer periods in the World Cup games then their chances will go up 10 fold.
‘With South Africa in the pool people have to understand that it will be tough, but the Scots are second-favourites and it would be a devastating result if they don’t beat Samoa.
‘If you were asking me for my prediction I think Scotland are going to play England i n the quarter-finals at Twickenham.
‘If the World Cup was being played on Mars then there might be a different outcome to Pool A with England, Australia and Wales competing for top spot but, with home advantage, I think England will win the pool and set-up this match.’