Born 20 October 1972 in Blackburn, Lancashire, Greenwood was educated at St Mary's Hall[1] and Sedbergh School.[2] As a schoolboy, he was also a talented cricketer and played for the Lancashire Schools representative team before ultimately deciding to concentrate on rugby.[3] He graduated with a BA in economics from Durham University in 1994.[4][5] He then worked as a trader at a bank in London.[6]
In 2000 he moved back to Harlequins after succumbing to poor form, not helped by the arrival of Australian Pat Howard that prevented him from getting first team rugby. His match-winning try to defeat Brive, in the European Shield quarterfinal on 27 January 2001, was voted the club's 2000/01 'Try of the Year'. He had already picked up an RFU Cup winner's medal with Leicester but tasted defeat in the final of the same competition with NEC Harlequins, at the hands of Newcastle Falcons in 2001.
Greenwood extended his contract with Harlequins when they were relegated to the National League 1.[7] He retired at the end of the 2005/06 season after helping them regain promotion.[8]
International
He was selected for the British & Irish Lions' tour to South Africa still uncapped, and ahead of then England captain Phil de Glanville, in the summer of 1997. During the tour, he was injured on the pitch after a collision and stopped breathing for several minutes, and did not play in any of the test matches.[9]
He made his England debut in 1997. He became an important part of the England team, establishing a centre partnership with Jeremy Guscott. He later cemented his place in the England team for the Six Nations and World Cup in 2003. He formed a centre partnership with Mike Tindall or Mike Catt and wore the number 13 even if he played inside centre.[10] He was involved in all but one of England's games in the World Cup. Although he had rushed home due to his wife's difficult pregnancy, he returned to the side, scoring England's only try against South Africa, when he followed up to touch down after a Lewis Moody charge down.[6] His try against Wales in the quarter-final in Brisbane turned the match for England in a tight game. He finished the tournament as joint top try scorer with five.
He was made vice captain under Lawrence Dallaglio for the 2004 Six Nations tournament. He reached the 50 cap landmark against Ireland and played in all of England's Six Nations matches. He won the last of 55 England caps against Australia in 2004.
In 2005 Greenwood was injured for the Six Nations, but was selected for the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand, his third Lions tour. He replaced Brian O'Driscoll just two minutes into the first test against New Zealand and also played in the third test.
After 55 England caps and 31 tries he announced his retirement at the end of the 2005/6 season[11] England never lost an international match in which Greenwood scored.
Greenwood worked as an analyst for Sky Sports and regularly appears on 'The Rugby Club' and live premiership matches, as well as being (with Scott Quinnell) the co-presenter of the School of Hard Knocks Sky TV series. During the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Greenwood was employed by ITV as an analyst for live matches. He also writes a column on the Daily Telegraph discussing the England rugby team.[13] He is a co-founder of a travel and events business, SuperSkills Experiences[14][unreliable source?]
Greenwood and his wife, Caroline, have three children. They also had a son Freddie who died 45 minutes after his birth in 2002.[19] Greenwood is a patron of Child Bereavement UK, a charity which supports parents who have lost a child.[20][21] Greenwood is also a Patron of Borne, a medical research charity looking into the causes of premature birth.[22][23]
