England relief as Greenwood returns
Harlequins centre Will Greenwood today gave England a major lift in the build up to Saturday's Lloyds-TSB Six Nations championship opener with Scotland.
Greenwood, who needed a hospital scan after passing blood in his urine last week, has been cleared to take a full part in England's contact training sessions and will be available for selection. Coach Clive Woodward will name his team tomorrow and Greenwood has been under pressure from Bath's Mike Tindall.
The blow Greenwood took in the Powergen Cup clash with Leicester did not appear to be serious but he was diagnosed with a bruised kidney and had to sit out Saturday's defeat by Northampton. England wing Dan Luger also missed the Quins match with a hamstring strain but he is also expected to be fit for selection.
Leicester hooker Dorian West's groin injury is the major worry for Woodward who could give Northampton's Steve Thompson his debut in the Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield.
Greenwood also wants to be in that team and said: "This kind of injury happens to players and I took a bang in the tackle. It was obviously a good hit and, in effect, it was like having a dead leg. I am not being macho about this but the specialists have looked at the injury and given me the all clear and there won't be any long term problems."
Greenwood's Quins side are now second from bottom after London Wasps director of rugby Nigel Melville asked former rugby league star Martin Offiah to help secure a much needed win and he duly obliged with a try that snatched a 23-22 Zurich Premiership victory at Newcastle. It allowed the club to leapfrog Quins and Bath at the bottom. The win was possible thanks to wing Kenny Logan's touch line conversion which also served as a reminder to the Scotland selectors that he is still a force.
Offiah, who had come on in the 76th minute, linked with full-back Josh Lewsey before going over in the corner with his first touch of the match, rescuing a game that seemed destined for a home win.
Offiah said: "You've got to be positive when you come on, but to score a try like that is a fairytale, I couldn't have written the script any better. Nigel just asked me to show some magic and I went on with the intention of getting over the line. But Kenny has to take a lot of the credit for his conversion. This try will be up there with my best memories in rugby, without a doubt." Meanwhile, London Irish director of rugby Conor O'Shea paid tribute to Paul Sackey "for giving us the break we needed" after his try helped the Exiles to record a remarkable a 38-9 victory over Pau in the Parker Pen Shield and earn a place in the semi-final draw with Sale, Gloucester and Pontypridd who beat a disappointing Saracens side 17-15 thanks to the width of a post yesterday.
Jannie De Beer's injury time penalty came back off the upright to leave Sarries CEO Francois Pienaar to deliver a verdict of "dreadful" after a performance that lacked authority and the necessary skill level to make the last four.
