Swines are swirling above Twickenham, the cows have returned to their roots and hell is an icy sub-zero. Steve Borthwick has been given a free pass to pick one player based outside England. The consensus is that Jack Willis – Toulouse captain and two‑time Top 14 player of the season – would be the obvious choice. The smart money, however, would be on Borthwick picking brother Tom in a flash.
For clarity, this is not going to happen. It is not World Cup season without a cause celebre but the reality is that you, dear reader, have more chance of selection. Still, the story of the younger Willis warrants re-examining. Firstly because his decision to head for France after receiving an enhanced contract was unprecedented. Secondly because for Bordeaux he is pulling up trees, forests and anything else in his way this season. England’s No 8 depth is shallow and Willis is the type of player Borthwick would give his right arm for. After Bordeaux have begun their Champions Cup defence at Gloucester on Friday, chances are his left too.
“He’s an incredible competitor,” Bordeaux’s attack coach Noel McNamara says. “You can talk all you want about the technical and tactical but sometimes it’s just about desire. He won an aerial battle a couple weeks ago that I showed to the backs. Tom just wanted that ball, he’s an unbelievable competitor more than anything else. The Top 14 is incredibly competitive, because of relegation, because of the JIFF rule [which limits the number of foreign players]. That adds its own pressure and it’s not for everybody. We knew what we were getting, not just the player, he’s a fantastic human being.”
Willis’s decision will not have been easy but by the time he informed Borthwick, shortly before the 2025 autumn internationals, his mind was made up despite having received the enhanced contract worth £150,000 a couple of months earlier. As someone who could offer ball-carrying heft, hard yards, Willis was a dead cert for the plane to Australia in 2027. Borthwick’s decision to leave him out immediately was equally difficult but he felt there was no choice with less than two years until the World Cup. What message would he have sent had he not?
“I understand both sides, I understand the benefits for the [Prem], and I knew the rules before making my choice. I have no problem with it,” Willis told Midi Olympique last week when asked about England’s selection policy. “There are strong arguments on both sides. Some say it’s bad, others that it’s necessary. I could have stayed in England to remain eligible, but I decided to leave.”
It is clear Willis felt a strong draw to Bordeaux and there are obvious reasons why. After Wasps went bust he joined the club on a short‑term deal in November 2022 before moving to Saracens the following summer. He arrived in France just after the head coach, Christophe Urios, had left, did not speak French and had never lived alone before. The personal growth those circumstances precipitated meant that Willis had a deep-rooted connection with the club. It helps, too, they are one of Europe’s leading lights, the money is good and the lifestyle appeals. The opportunity to be close to Jack was an enormous factor too. The Willis family is exceptionally tight-knit.
It is less clear precisely when in 2025 Bordeaux planted the seed. Saracens, for their part, were desperate to keep him. His first season in north London was disrupted by a knee injury but his second was mightily impressive. One performance against the Bulls in December 2024 stood out. Willis had been challenged to perform at “an elevated level” after being overlooked for the autumn Tests. Against the Bulls, he knocked a few Springboks around like they were nine-pins.
By the 2025 Six Nations, Borthwick had been convinced. Willis had one cap in a World Cup warm-up match against Wales but returned to the fold initially as a replacement against Ireland. “I felt like I had not had a proper crack at playing for England and that is really what I wanted to do,” he said at the time. Starts followed in victories over France, Scotland and Italy but while Willis did little wrong, there was a feeling he wasn’t quite reaching his best at Test level. He was back on the bench against Wales and while a regular in the matchday 23, he had not managed to force his way into the British & Irish Lions conversation.
Then came the 2025 tour of Argentina and the USA. With Tom Curry, Ben Earl and Henry Pollock away, with less spotlight on England, Willis shone. His performances against the Pumas were emphatic and a few months later, Borthwick rewarded him with an enhanced deal. Willis had made strides when some of the bigger fish were away, when the pond was a little smaller.
The suggestion is Willis does not possess self-belief by the bucketload as someone like Earl does, that he needs the odd reminder of his talents. Maybe the environment in Argentina was perfect for him then, particularly with the presence of Lee Blackett on the coaching staff. But speak to those who know him well and they reject any sense of timidity wholeheartedly. There may be a hint of shyness but “deep-thinking” and “diligent” are the words that come up. That he was spotted at Bordeaux’s base finishing a French lesson at 5pm recently bears that out.
It also says much about Willis that in his third and final season with Saracens, despite his impending move, he was named Prem player of the year, producing more carries and beating more defenders than anyone in the league. Bordeaux evidently know how to harness those talents but McNamara cautions against pigeon-holing. “Jack is perceived as more of a defensive player and Tom as offensive but we can be very reductive,” says McNamara. “Against Clermont recently Tom had four turnovers. He’s a very smart player, he’s got leadership capabilities. He is doing that with his actions and he’s learning the language diligently so he can express himself.”
The way Willis is performing does not suggest any regrets but if there is a tinge of sadness it is that we cannot be sure if he knew or understood quite how highly Borthwick regarded him at the very point Bordeaux turned his head. That is neither’s fault, it merely shows the importance of timing. The upshot is one of the most talented English players of his generation will not grace the World Cup stage next year. It is a testament to Willis’ character, however, that he left little open to interpretation when recently asked if he did not get a fair crack of the whip. “I did get the opportunities, and I was delighted to have them,” he said. “I have no issue with the coaching staff. I simply chose something different.”
