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The Jack Willis news Steve Borthwick doesn't want to hear
By Neil Fissler
Toulouse could be set to deliver England coach Steve Borthwick another body blow and offer Jack Willis a new long-term contract that would run beyond the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
The Reading-born 27-year-old is under contract until next June, but there is an option for another year which needs to be activated by December. The whispers coming out of France are that they would like him to stay for longer.
Educated at Henley College, Willis made 79 appearances for Wasps until they folded in October 2022, making the move to La Ville Rose, the fourth-largest city in France, a month later.
The switch across the channel has been an outstanding success for the father of two, who has won back-to-back Top 14 titles and the Investec Champions Cup, beating Leinster in last season's final.
Willis, who can play all three back row positions, has fitted in perfectly alongside the likes of Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack in Ugo Mola’s star-studded squad.
It appears to be a two-sided love affair that is not going to end anytime soon, with Willis admitting last season, “We want to win things, and that is the thing I love about being here. I fell in love with that the minute I got here.”
Willis has made 40 appearances for Toulouse, including three this season, which all ended in victory. However, he has missed the last two games against Bordeaux, a re-run of last season's Top 14 final, and Castres, and they have lost both.
The forward had won 14 England caps before a neck injury ended his 2023 World Cup campaign but he is not eligible for selection as things stand because of the RFU’s policy of not selecting players who ply their trade overseas.
Saracens, who have his younger brother Tom within their ranks, are long-time admirers, but it seems that not even the prospect of a family reunion will be enough to tempt Willis to swap France for North London.
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Latest Comments
Agreed. As a Saffa I have much respect for the ABs. I also have to say given any option I would ONLY prefer to lose to ABs. To lose to England is probably the most embarrassing think to happen to either of us.
There was a time when both of us lost to England and we both hated it. Thankfully those days are behind us. Kudos to you guys, kudos to ABs. But dear old BS seems to hate us Boks. No idea why.
Go to commentsI got the sense that holding him to it was kickback from SB and the rfu smarting at being jilted quite so soon, so unexpectedly and so publicly.
Seem to remember that they spoke to Gustard before appointing Joe and you really have to think he would have come in at a higher level?
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