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Eddie Jones addresses collapse of Wasps and flanker Jack Willis
By PA
England head coach Eddie Jones has backed Jack Willis’ history of resilience to help him through a difficult time at Wasps. Flanker Willis was the solitary Wasps player named by Jones among a 36-man squad ahead of the Twickenham appointments with Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa in November.
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The four-time Premiership champions were placed in administration on Monday, with all playing and coaching staff made redundant. Wasps had already been suspended from the Premiership, following fellow crisis club Worcester in seeing their season put on hold, with relegation now awaiting them both.
Wasps were hit by a winding-up order from HM Revenue and Customs for £2million in unpaid tax, and they also face having to repay a £35m bond which had helped finance the club’s relocation to Coventry during 2014. Willis is among numerous players now facing an uncertain future with the Coventry-based club, although the 25-year-old has previously overcome considerable adversity.
Two major knee injuries put his career on hold – either side of being named Premiership player of the season in 2020 – stalling his England progress and restricting him to just four Test match appearances. But there is no doubting the openside’s quality as he prepares to fight for an England back row place in one of the squad’s most competitive areas.
“He is not training with his club, obviously, so we have got some of our staff working with him to make sure he is in the best physical condition,” Jones said. “Everyone feels for Wasps. I feel for their players, I feel for their staff, I feel for their fans, but Jack has an opportunity now and he has got to make the most of it. Good players make the most of it.
“He has got a history of resilience, and he is a good, tough kid. There is an opportunity for him to be in his absolute best physical condition, so that is a great opportunity. All the best players are pretty single-minded about what they want to do. They want to be the best version of themselves and play for England and play in the best England team they can.”
