TENNIS

England forward Jack Willis has renewed his contract

January, 04, 2025-04:45

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England forward Jack Willis has renewed his contract :

England forward Jack Willis has renewed his contract with French and European champions Toulouse, delivering a notable setback to his national team’s head coach, Steve Northwick. Despite this development, there remains a possibility that the flanker currently in exceptional form but not available for international play—could participate in the 2027 World Cup.

On Monday, Willis announced that he has signed a new four-year agreement with Toulouse. However, a break clause may allow the 28-year-old to join a Gallagher Premiership team for the 2027-28 season, potentially making him eligible for the upcoming global tournament in Australia.

The RFU’s strict and contentious selection policy stipulates that players must be contracted to one of the 10 Premiership clubs to represent England at the Test level. Reports indicate that Willis’ representatives engaged in preliminary discussions with the RFU regarding a possible return to England and the opportunity for him to join the enhanced elite player squad, which receives support from the governing body. However, there were no assurances that a return to the Premiership would guarantee international selection, despite his remarkable performance over the past year. Willis joined Toulouse following the collapse of Wasps in 2022.

Initially, he was granted special permission to continue representing England in 2023, but his last appearance for the national team was during that year’s World Cup, where he earned a total of 14 Test caps. This news about Willis is a considerable setback for England’s head coach, Steve Northwick. During his time away from the national team, Willis has been instrumental in Toulouse’s achievements, securing two TOP14 titles and a Champions Cup. He is undoubtedly among the top players in Europe at present and is likely to be a strong candidate for the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia this summer. Willis’ status in France would not prevent him from playing for the Lions, although if Toulouse advances to the TOP14 end-of-season playoffs, it could complicate his release.