He’s won 55 caps, scoring 31 tries for England during his time playing centre for the national team. But now, Greenwood, sports journalist and commentator, has hung up his boots to advise businesses using sports analogies gleaned throughout his career.

Speaking from O2’s Scrum on the Beach yesterday in Trafalgar Square, Greenwood addressed a crowd of small business owners. Here, exclusively for Real Business, are his five top tips for entrepreneurs.

1.) Don’t cut corners with recruitment
Having played with a such a strong team for many years, I know the value of trusting your colleagues. Knowing that they’ll keep their end up.

2.) Have a solid code of conduct
Every person that enters your business needs to be aware of how you do things. That’s the only way to create unity and teamship.

3.) Details matter
In a penalty shoot-out, the tiniest mistake can mean the difference between winning and losing. You have to make sure you pay attention to the little things, not just the big picture.

4.) Basics, basics, basics
Know the field, understand how your position fits in with the rest of your team. Know your own responsibilities inside out.

5.) No hierarchies
Within the team environment, there were no dumb ideas. You can’t just let people speak, you have to listen to them. Everyone has to pitch in, regardless of their job title or status. That’s the point of a team.

While Greenwood is not an entrepreneur per se, he is a prolific writer and sits on the board of Benchmark Sport as non-exec director, so he’s dipping his toe in the business waters. But it seems now he’s ready to take the plunge.

“The next big step for me is to potentially start a business,” he says. “Rugby suited me, so whatever I decide to do needs to suit me too. It’ll have to be in the field of sport, and I’m reviewing my options at the moment.

“I’d be terrified to go on Dragons’ Den though,” he continues. “I’m like a duck. I may look calm on the surface, but underneath I’m paddling like crazy.”

Related tags: greenwood, small business owners, trafalgar square, scrum, rugby, entrepreneur, dragons, recruitment, will greenwood,