Why England must pick powerhouse Tom Willis at No 8 and let him loose in Dublin, writes CHRIS FOY

There’s only room on this bandwagon right now, but it’s time to jump on board anyway. Tom Willis is the bona fide number 8 blaster that England are crying out for. Steve Borthwick should pick him for the Six Nations.

Ignoring one banished brother is bad enough, but there’s no need to overlook the other. Jack Willis continues to undermine the house for mighty Toulouse, but due to the RFU’s policy against the selection of players from abroad for national service, he remains off-limits. Tom is in the countryside tearing down trees for the Saracens. He can give England the strength and raw edge that is sorely lacking.

His performance against Bristol at the StoneX Stadium on Saturday evening was breathtaking to watch. He was a man at the height of his powers, who presented a remarkable repertoire. For those who missed the masterclass, here are the key highlights.

The first of Willis’ two tries, early in the first half, was all about strength and determination as he grabbed the ball, made a ruck and burst through three defenders to land from close range.

Just before half time he scored his second and it was world class. Saracens should frame pictures of the entire coastal-coastal range and hang them in a museum.

Maro Itoje claimed an interception, bursting from his 22 and making further ground on the left after delivering a sumptuous dummy. Smooth handling allowed the home side to shift their attack to the other flank and Willis did the rest.

He swerved around Noah Heward and the wing couldn’t catch him, then accelerated away from the flailing Bill Mata and crashed into Rich Lane. The full-back didn’t seem too keen on the task and few would blame him as Willis exploded through his tackle attempt to score. It was completely ridiculous; an unusual, classic attack.

After the break, Willis kept the momentum going, breaking from a ruck, dominating another collision and deftly offloading, to set the wheels in motion for Saracens’ bonus point try. It was yet another demonstration of carrying capacity, meaning that after nine Premiership rounds he had beaten fifty defenders and the second best in the league had beaten 37. He later drove Lane back 20 yards in a tackle and, after commentary, David Flatman joked: ‘It’s like taking out the bins.’

How much more proof does Borthwick need that this is the number 8 in the country? He gave him a Test debut from the bench in a World Cup warm-up against Wales in the summer of 2023 but has not selected him since. It’s time for a rethink.

Ben Earl was excellent at the 2023 World Cup as he was at the base of the scrum. His pace and all-round dynamism have been a major asset for England over the past 18 months, but the national team’s stuttering autumn campaign has exposed the need for a good, orthodox No.8 capable of making a dent in the areas of greatest need. defensive traffic. .

Willis could be to England what Gregory Alldritt has long been to France, in that he is not a monstrous figure – he is not a giant in the mold of Billy Vunipola – but a powerful weapon. He’s also a tough, aggressive, abrasive character with a hint of a nasty streak and Borthwick’s pack could use some of that. If they are not assertive and confrontational in Dublin on February 1, they could face a grim start to their Six Nations campaign.

Willis will turn 26 on January 18, just as the England players prepare to go to camp ahead of the annual championship. By then he should have earned the birthday present he so longs for, with inclusion in the squad.

But Borthwick could go further. Start him. Let Earl compete with Tom Curry, Ben Curry and Sam Underhill for the open-side berth if the head coach commits to a long, lineout-jumping blindside. Or two of those four on the flanks, either side of Willis.

A tough assignment against the Six Nations title holders away from home is not the ideal time to hand a Test rookie his first start. Conversely, England need to release as many form players as possible into their favorite positions.

The tricky context is that Borthwick have handed out 17 central (enhanced EPS) contracts and that will undoubtedly put some pressure on using as many of those leading lights as possible.

But Alex Mitchell was out injured for months, Ollie Chessum is also sidelined and George Furbank is recovering from a broken arm. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and George Ford are other recent victims. In addition, Quins pair Chandler Cunningham-South and Fin Baxter – not in the 17 – have struggled recently.

Borthwick has previously placed great value on club form and, apart from the improved EPS factor, he needs to do so again. Willis is red hot at the moment and deserves to be unleashed in Dublin.

Rugby deserves the highest expert

Last Friday evening’s Premiership meeting between Newcastle and Harlequins at Kingston Park was another occasion that illustrated the importance of the top pundits.

The well-known double act of Ben Kay and Austin Healey once again provided TNT Sports viewers with quick and educational details to accompany the footage, along with a healthy dose of humor and banter on the microphone.

Rugby really needs the kind of insight that these former Tigers and England players provide. It is a sport full of nuances and shades of gray, but they offer lightning-fast clarity.

Healey is often cast as a pantomime villain for his outspoken opinions, but they also increase coverage. Flatman is another excellent expert, as are Sam Warburton and John Barclay.

Rugby is more watchable and accessible when these ex-professionals wade through the technical and legal morass to explain the micro-elements of the action.

Spectators in all stadiums, at club and international level, would benefit from being able to listen to their views through ref-link type earphones while matches are in progress.

Sales behind closed doors glimpse

They may have come loose in Kingsholm on Saturday, but Sale took an important, positive step for the sport last week.

Pardon what may come across as an internal issue, but rental Mailsport Attending a team meeting was a memorable contribution to Rugby’s arduous, belated quest to be more open and inviting.

It was a first for this correspondent – ​​in his more than twenty years of covering football – and it was fascinating to see how coaches were motivating their teams.

The psychological and emotional dimensions of rugby are as important as ever, in this age of wall-to-wall data and science, in what amounts to a quest to manage and manipulate human nature.

There is an endless, widespread curiosity about how players are harnessed behind the scenes to withstand and inflict exhaustion and pain for a common goal – and how to repeat that tricky feat on a weekly basis.

Hopefully other clubs and unions will recognize, as Sale has done, that giving a glimpse of what happens behind closed doors will help a wider audience appreciate the passionate, selfless heroic nature of rugby.

Maher cannot turn the tide with a big finish

Unfortunately, the big arrival was an anticlimax.

American social media sensation and Olympic Sevens bronze medalist Ilona Maher made her debut for Bristol in the Women’s Premiership yesterday, but her first impact was off the pitch rather than on it.

The hype surrounding her recruitment had led to a rush in ticket sales, meaning the Bears moved the match against Gloucester-Hartpury to Ashton Gate and welcomed a record crowd of more than 9,000 people.

Maher was named to the bench just days after returning from the United States, but by the time she was introduced with an hour gone, the visitors were out of sight; lead 28-10.

In her final quarter cameo, the star signing with nearly five million Instagram followers seemed to miss the mark. Her main involvement, after a tackle from a restart just seconds after coming on, was hitting rucks and acting as a decoy runner.

Bristol went on to lose 40–17 as the imports could do nothing to turn the tide.

Those waiting for a post-match selfie will have enjoyed the close-up of a player who has become a major rugby brand in his own right, but Maher and her new club will be wishing for better days in her three years. month-to-month accommodation in the West Country.

Last word

There was some surprising news from Down Under this weekend. It appears Melbourne will miss hosting matches at the 2027 World Cup.

According to reports, Victoria’s state government has withdrawn its bid to host the final and a series of other matches in protest at Rugby Australia’s decision to end the Rebels franchise. What a precious mess.

Sydney’s Accor Stadium is destined to host the final, both the semi-finals and the so-called ‘bronze final’ (the unwanted third-place play-off that exists solely to increase revenue).

Yet the capacity is 82,000, while the iconic MCG has 100,000.

Additionally, Melbourne’s giant sporting cathedral is located on the edge of the city center, making it easily accessible to visiting fans.

By contrast, Sydney’s stadium – which keeps changing names and in a previous guise hosted the Olympic Games and the 2003 World Cup final – is located a few kilometers west of the city on the harbour. The journey there and back can be difficult.

At this time of financial hardship in the sport, it seems crazy to sign off on a plan that could cost an estimated £20 million in lost revenue, due to avoidable attendance restrictions.

Sydney is undoubtedly the spiritual home of rugby in Australia, while Melbourne and Victoria are obsessive AFL (Aussies Rules Football) territory, but this is a global event so such local matters should not be the deciding factor.

We hope that common sense prevails and that the MCG can still host games.