Willis wins Top14 award, eyes Test return — SkimNews
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- Jack Willis retained the Top14's best player award for 2025-26, becoming the second player after Antoine Dupont to win it consecutively.
- Willis plays for Toulouse in the French Top14, a move that ended his eligibility for England due to the national team's policy of selecting only domestically based players.
- Willis won his 14th and most recent England cap in a 2023 Rugby World Cup pool match against Chile and has not featured since.
- Ireland could be a potential Test option for Willis under World Rugby’s birthright rule, as his grandfather was born in Belfast.
- Willis acknowledged Ireland’s similar preference for home-based players, making a pathway to international rugby while at Toulouse highly unlikely.
Why it matters: Willis’s continued excellence in France intensifies scrutiny on England’s selection policy, which risks losing top-tier talent to overseas clubs. With no mechanism to recall diaspora players, the rule may force future stars to choose between club success and international careers.
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