Motivational SpeakersWill Greenwood MBE is a Rugby World Cup Winner.
He was an integral member of the 2003 England Rugby World Cup-winning team.
Not one to shy away from high pressure and highly competitive situations, Will started his working life on London’s city trading floor.
He became the second-highest try scorer in English rugby history (Jonny May crept past him in 2021, and Will was relegated to third) and helped power England to victory at the Rugby World Cup 2003.
He is regarded as one of England’s greatest rugby players and one of the sport’s most engaging, intelligent, and entertaining characters.
Greenwood debuted in 1994 for Harlequins before progressing to Leicester in 1996. He made his full England international debut in 1997.
Injury marred his first couple of years in International rugby. Still, the 2000/01 season saw him establish himself as an England regular under the leadership of Clive Woodward, and accolades swiftly followed.
He won three man-of-the-match performances in one Six Nations alone, in victories over Scotland, Wales and Italy in 2002.
Rugby World Cup Winner
Selected for England’s 2003 World Cup-winning squad, Greenwood finished the tournament as the joint-top try-scorer. In 2005, culminating in an outstanding career, he picked up his first Test cap for the British & Irish Lions in the 2005 tour of New Zealand.
In total, he toured 3 times with Lions, in 1997, 2001 and 2005.
Throughout his 11 years playing professional rugby, Will was a dedicated professional. He combined a fantastic work ethic with a desire to continuously learn and improve his game. Despite injury setbacks and occasional moments of self-doubt and personal tragedy, his focus, determination, and perseverance led him to the top of the national and international games.
Off the pitch, his focus has remained undimmed. With a reputation as a bright and articulate personality, he was snapped up by Sky as a regular match-day presenter, working for them for 16 years. During that time, Will drove the hugely popular ‘School of Hard Knocks’. The series gave at-risk youngsters the chance to train, grow, and shine through sport. He also pens a weekly opinion column for the Saturday Telegraph.
In 2018, Will Greenwood and Jason Fox were members of a team led by Alan Chambers that trekked to the North Pole to raise funds for the charity Borne.
Will is also a successful businessman, having set up Legend Holidays & Events, a company that provides family holiday experiences.
In September 2016, Will combined his knowledge of numbers and working with children to take a voluntary role as a part-time maths teacher in a secondary school in Berkshire for five years.
In November 2020, Will took the position of Chief Customer Officer at data and software company Afiniti.
World Class – How to Lead, Learn and Grow Like a Champion
Along with Ben Fennell, Will has written ‘World Class‘. The book demonstrates how much elite sport can teach us about high-performance leadership by uncovering the principles that unite all top-level performance, both on and off the pitch.
Will and Ben prove that the secret to outstanding leadership is unity, not uniformity. After speaking to leaders across all areas of sport and business – from Rio Ferdinand and Sir Clive Woodward to Dave Lewis and Kate Richardson-Walsh – they reveal how the guiding principles of celebrating difference and forging togetherness are the fastest way to accelerate growth
Will Greenwood – Keynote Speaker:
Will’s prior career as an HSBC trader has given him an insight into themes that permeate both fields.
The perfect storm of leadership, discipline, motivation and teamwork that led England to World Cup victory in 2003 provides an inspirational demonstration of what it takes to achieve peak performance for a sustained period.
A complete change in mindset and behaviours opened the door to a performance gear change.
Combined with the lows of injury setbacks, personal tragedy, and self-doubt, this will provide a gripping insight into the studied determination needed to achieve in any arena.
Speaking topics include:
- Leadership, Vision and Environment
- Behaviours and Culture
- Inclusion and Belonging
- Teamship and Trust
- Empowerment and Accountability
- Wellbeing, Energy and Self-Care
- Resilience and Setbacks
- From Good to Great: Marginal Gains
Rugby After-Dinner Speaker:
Will’s career has furnished him with endless stories and anecdotes that can be adapted to entertain any audience – rugby fans or not. He has a great sense of humour and established himself as one of the UK’s leading rugby after-dinner speakers.
