Debutant Hassell-Collins compared to World Cup winner by England great
Ahead of his England debut this Saturday against Scotland at Twickenham in the opening round of the Six Nations, winger Ollie Hassell-Collins has received a glowing endorsement from England great Will Greenwood.
The former England centre did this by comparing the London Irish winger to one of his teammates and fellow World Cup winner Ben Cohen. Cohen sits third in England’s all-time try scorer list, level with Greenwood on 31 tries, four behind Jonny May, who actually missed out on this current England squad with Steve Borthwick favouring Hassell-Collins instead.
This is what Greenwood said: “Please excuse me for going back and comparing players to players I played with, but he is the closest I’ve seen to Ben Cohen in a long time. I love the kicking game, I love that aerial battle, I love the upper body strength, the power, the finishing power, the enhanced role he’s being given at London Irish recently, he’s grown up, doesn’t just stand on the left wing waiting for the ball to come to him- he goes looking. I’ve been watching him for two, three years now and people now I’ve been banging on about him. He needs the team to play and want to play and I think Nick Evans has talked about that the excitement with the ball. But I think he’s a star in a making number.”
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ENGLAND XV
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 17 caps)
14. Max Malins (Saracens, 14 caps)
13. Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 13 caps)
12. Owen Farrell (Saracens, 101 caps) (C)
11. Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish, uncapped)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 17 caps)
9. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 7 caps)
1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 43 caps) (VC)
2. Jamie George (Saracens, 72 caps)
3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 56 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 62 caps)
5. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 5 caps)
6. Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 14 caps)
7. Ben Curry (Sale Sharks,1 cap)
8. Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 9 caps)
REPLACEMENTS
16. Jack Walker (Harlequins, uncapped)
17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 74 caps)
18. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 95 caps)
19. Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 8 caps)
20. Ben Earl (Saracens, 13 caps)
21. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 121 caps)
22. Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 7 caps)
23. Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers, 51 caps)
