"Eye-Opening and Honest" Jack Willis talks Wasps Collapse and Learns French

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Reportedly signing a new deal with Toulouse, Willis is expected to remain in France's Top 14 league, limiting his future in the England shirt.

The RFU are currently in the midst of deciding whether or not players based outside of the country are eligible for England. Willis has been a key player within recent weeks, since his return to the squad in the 2023 Guinness Six Nations.

The 26-year-old made his comeback in the very same fixture that side-lined him two years ago with a catastrophic knee injury, and marked the occasion with a try against Italy.

Willis was recently featured on England Rugby's official social media accounts, giving a heartfelt re-calling of the collapse of his boyhood club Wasps. The Coventry side entered financial administration in October of last year, and Willis remembered the fateful day all too well.

"I managed to go on the tour to Australia with England, which was great, great experience and then just working hard over the summer. And then unfortunately, after only a few games back, everything that happened at Wasps, was just a bit of a whirlwind to be honest with you.

"Going into administration and everything that came with that, it didn't just affect me, it affected my family, my friends, everyone who's supported me throughout my career so far with it being my boyhood club.

"And I can't tell you how difficult that was. being in that room the day we were told, and that realisation that I may never play alongside my brother again, some of my best mates again that I've played along alongside for about eight years. It's pretty difficult to describe how that felt if I'm honest."

Willis has settled well into life in Southern France, having muscled his way into the Toulouse back row in no time at all. A player of Willis' calibre could not be overlooked once he became a free agent, and was fortunate to receive offers from the top clubs across Europe.

Willis is picking up the local language, with a recent England Rugby 'O2 Inside Line' video showing the flanker trying to get to grips with learning French.

However, some of Willis' Wasps teammates have not experienced such fortunes, which the flanker discussed on England's social media channels.

"As it always is in rugby, you don't have much time to feel sorry for yourself. I was very fortunate to get picked for the Autumn Series, and I was running on my own for a week or so up at the training ground, and then was straight into England camp.

"So I was quite lucky that I got to sort of carry on doing what I do, and I've been very fortunate since. I feel incredibly grateful that Toulouse, and a club that's as great as Toulouse has picked me up and given me that opportunity, when there's still some of my top mates that have found this whole process quite difficult and struggling to find the next their next opportunity.

"Coming off the back of what was something so difficult, I feel incredibly grateful to be wearing a Toulouse shirt, and in recent weeks being able to put on put on an England shirt as well."

Northampton Saints have confirmed that the forward will depart the Club at the end of the 2022/23 season. Reports suggest he will join Toulon.

The 27-year-old lock has pulled on the Black, Green and Gold jersey 115 times to date, starting 98 matches for Northampton and scoring 17 tries so far.

“As a coaching group, we are very proud of the progress Dave has made during his time at Saints,” said Director of Rugby, Phil Dowson.

“He arrived in Northampton as a 21-year-old without many Super Rugby appearances to his name. He will leave as a fully-fledged England international and a proven performer in the Gallagher Premiership, one of the most attritional and competitive leagues in the world.

“You always want to create an environment for players where they can work hard, thrive, win matches and be successful on the international stage. Sometimes, that means players become attractive propositions for other clubs.

“Dave leaves to pursue a playing opportunity in France next season. It’s disappointing to lose a player of his calibre, and we were surprised Dave wanted to leave the Club at this time.

“But he is of course a professional, and will be putting all his efforts in his final months in Northampton to ensure the team is as successful as possible. We will wish him well after that.”

The hooker says it will feel 'weird' when it comes to saying goodbye to the Exeter Chiefs at the end of the season.

The England and British & Irish Lions hooker has today confirmed this will be his last season at Sandy Park, bringing to an end a 12-year association with the Gallagher Premiership club.

His next destination will be that of France and a move to Top 14 giants Montpellier-Herault, where he will team up with current Chiefs and England team-mate, Sam Simmonds, who himself has agreed a similar switch.

"It's gutting to be leaving," said the 29-year-old. who to date has made 163 appearances for the Chiefs, scoring 36 tries in the process. 

"I've been at the Chiefs for 12 years and it's all I've known. That said, this opportunity came up and it was one that I had to think long and hard about. I spoke a lot with my family about it and it wasn't an easy decision to make in the end.

"Obviously, it's a different competition, a different language - which I'll have to learn - but I think it's time for a change. Hopefully, I've still got plenty of years left in my career, but this is an opportunity for me to go over there and show what I am all about."

Before now and the end of the season, Cowan-Dickie insists his sole focus is on the Chiefs and delivering performances to a club he says he will forever be grateful to.

"I've still lots to give here," he added. "This is my club and I want to go out on a real high and win some trophies. It will be weird when the time comes to say my goodbyes, but for now I want to do all I can to ensure it finishes how I want it to.

"Since I arrived all those years ago, I've had some unbelievable memories and made friends for life. For me, this is the most important year of my Chiefs career because it's my last. The club, the people, the supporters, they've all done so much for me and I'm excited to get out there and put my best foot forward."

Harlequins have confirmed that the centre will leave the Club at the end of the season.

Marchant will depart the Club following nine years at The Stoop, after joining the Senior Academy set-up in 2014 and making his senior debut the following year.

The 26-year-old back soon became a regular feature within the starting XV, earning over 130 appearances in the Famous Quarters to date and being an integral part of the 2020/21 Gallagher Premiership winning side.

Marchant went on to achieve international recognition with England as well as working with Harlequins to develop a short-term loan spell with Super Rugby outfit the Auckland Blues in 2020 to develop his experience and skills. 

Director of Rugby Performance Billy Millard said: “We will be sad to see Joe leave us at the end of the season - it’s been an absolute pleasure working with him over the last few years and watching him progress from our Academy. We had positive contract renewal discussions, and we would have loved for him to continue at The Stoop, but appreciate that he was given another opportunity that we could not compete with.

“Joe is one of the Academy’s more recent success stories, and we are proud that 69% of our current Men’s squad have come through it. This is fundamental to our DNA and we are really confident of the talent coming through this channel in the future.

“We remain on great terms with Joe and wish him well for the future. There will always be a home and place where he can come back to in the future, but for now, we look forward to the remainder of the season together.”

The number 8 has already confirmed this will be his final season with the Chiefs as a move to Top 14 heavyweights Montpellier has already been agreed.

“I knew that that decision of playing abroad, you wouldn’t be able to be selected for England, but for me I felt like I’m focused on the here and now,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. 

“I feel like I can still have such an effect in an England shirt, such an effect in an Exeter Chiefs shirt for the next 12 months now, and I think I’m at peace with that decision.

“There’s plenty of players that are going to be coming up behind me and I felt that it was the right time to make a decision for after the World Cup to pursue a new life in France, and for my family and for me to experience that because I have loved my time at Exeter, but I haven’t experienced anything outside of Devon,” he added.

“I feel it was the right decision at the right time and we’ll see how it goes.

“We’ve seen what’s happened recently with clubs unfortunately in England, so it’s a decision I’ve thought about a lot, but ultimately felt like I needed to make that decision.”

Nowell looks set to continue the English exodus from Exeter to France after Rob Baxter admitted he is planning for life without the Lions wing.

'I've got to plan that Jack won't be here because that's the current situation,' said Rob Baxter.

"The agreement we've got is that if I find a replacement player who I like the look of, we are going to sign them. Jack is aware of that. He is currently looking in the market.

"If he comes back to me prior to us signing anybody, we can talk. If he comes back after we sign someone who has replaced him and the salary-cap room is not there, then it's not there. It is a very open scenario.

"I am assuming he is not here and I think he is assuming he's going."

Reports this week suggest he's signed with European champions La Rochelle.