Greenwood in line for England return

Will Greenwood, the Lion who almost lost his life in South Africa three years ago, is ready for an England comeback against the Springboks at Twickenham on Saturday.

The 28-year-old Harlequins centre will appear in his first full international in 13 months if Mike Catt fails to recover from sore ribs and an upset stomach. Greenwood took the Bath player's place in training yesterday and is expected to do so again today but a decision on whether he will be promoted from substitute will not be made until tomorrow.

Catt has until then to prove his fitness. Greenwood has not appeared in England's starting XV in the nine Tests since their World Cup defeat by the Springboks last year.

Subsequently dropped by Leicester, he moved to Quins last summer for first-team rugby, adamant that his lapse in form had nothing to do with the life-and-death drama of the Lions tour match against Orange Free State in Bloemfontein in 1997.

Greenwood, unconscious for several minutes after hitting his head on the ground in a tackle, was saved by doctors after swallowing his tongue.

He is now the Premiership's top try-scorer and came on as a substitute for England in the win over Argentina last Saturday.