The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Willi Heinz interview: ... Having turned down previous Premiership offers as he and wife Sophie brought up their young family, a connection was established with David Humphreys. “They wiped the floor with us. Read our community guidelines in full Willi Heinz’s inclusion in England’s World Cup training squad was not greeted with the same sort of acrimony that accompanied his first call-up in 2017. Willi Heinz hones his passing during a training session at the LensburyDanny Cipriani in action against the Crusaders in 2014Heinz is a former teammate of Dan Carter and Richie McCaw © 2020 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Join Facebook to connect with Heinz Willy and others you may know. That said, he is audibly proud when relaying the tale of how he qualifies to represent England.“My grandmother, Aylieff, was born and raised in Southampton,” explains the 32 year-old. My grandmother lived up the end of the street from us and moved in with us towards the end of her life.“She was an incredibly proud Englishwoman who loved her sport and always encouraged us to come over and live in England if we ever got the chance.

All rights reserved. “We’d spent 15 or 20 minutes on a Thursday on defence. I didn’t box-kick a whole lot back in Canterbury and with the Crusaders… I learned pretty quickly that you’ve got to have a decent box-kick up in the Premiership!”“I’m not trying to be anyone I’m not. Jones has selected 11 players born outside England in his World Cup training squads with plenty more having roots in countries ranging from Scotland to Samoa, the Netherlands to Nigeria.In Heinz’s case, he was born and raised in Christchurch and qualifies to play for England through his grandmother, Aylieff, who hailed from Southampton. Unfortunately, she passed away in 2008 just before I turned professional, but I always knew that I wanted to live over here.”Having turned down previous Premiership offers as he and wife Sophie brought up their young family, a connection was established with David Humphreys. Perhaps it is because Brad Shields bore the brunt as recently as last summer, or maybe because, as so perfectly demonstrated by the England cricket team, diversity is something to be celebrated. But David Humphreys was great. “I’m not on any sort of social media apart from Facebook to keep in touch with friends and family. You have to manipulate defences slightly more, whereas in Super Rugby you can maybe play over the top and offload.“I’ve learned fairly quickly over here that you can control a game in different ways, whether that’s the speed of the game or through kicking.

“That was a really cool experience, I was just amazed at the intensity and physicality they brought to that game,” he says. Willi Heinz was in tears after realising he would not play in England’s Rugby World Cup final against South Africa. “I was in negotiations with Gloucester after that and we had a pre-season game for the Crusaders… and I snapped both the bones in my lower leg.“It was brutal. Willi Heinz says it was an “amazing feeling” to win his first England cap as he waits to find out if he has done enough to go to the World Cup. My grandfather died when I was quite young. There are some great nines in this country that bring different skill-sets and attributes. It was from Jones, who explained that he had been watching Heinz’s progress.“I got the call-up after the Premiership final. SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: I do not understand the selection of Willi Heinz at scrum-half, and vice-captain, on debut. Then they started their family in Christchurch.