England flanker Jack Willis has completed his move to Toulouse after being released from the England squad earlier this week.
"We are very happy to welcome a player like Jack Willis to our squad. We know his qualities as a rugby player and appreciate that he shows us his confidence. The whole club welcomes him to Toulouse!" said Didier Lacroix, President of the Stade Toulousain.
After learning his rugby at Reading Abbey RFC, Jack Willis joined the Wasps Senior Academy from Henley College Berkshire ahead of the 2015/16 season having previously captained Wasps Under 18s.
Willis immediately displayed ability in all three back-row positions and soon caught the eye of Midlands rugby fans during a loan spell with Coventry Rugby.
His first senior start duly followed against Sale Sharks in the Anglo-Welsh Cup in November 2016 after which the former England Under 20 made his Premiership debut a few weeks later against the same opponents.
By the end of a campaign which saw him voted as his Club’s Academy Player of the Season, Willis had made eight senior appearances and he was duly awarded a senior contract for the following season.
During a superb 2017/18 season, Willis first secured a regular starting spot, then won the February Premiership Player of the Month trophy followed by his Club’s Young Player of the Season award and was selected for England’s summer tour to South Africa.
Injury kept the flanker sidelined for most of the 2018/19 season.
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Every Premiership Rugby sides marquee players and their reported salary
Bath RFC: None (was previously Taulupe Faletau)
Bristol Bears: Charles Piutau - £1,000,000 per season
Exeter Chiefs: Stuart Hogg - £500,000
Gloucester: Adam Hastings - £450,000
Adam Hastings of Gloucester Rugby kicks the conversion during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Match between Gloucester Rugby and Exeter Chiefs at Kingsholm on 28 October. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
Harlequins: André Esterhuizen - £420,000
Andre Esterhuizen of Harlequins during the Gallagher Premiership match between Harlequins and Leicester Tigers at Twickenham Stoop, London on 16 October 2022 (Photo: Micah Crook/PPAUK)
Leicester Tigers: Handre Pollard - £600,000
London Irish: Paddy Jackson - £500,000
Paddy Jackson of London Irish kicks for goal during the Gallagher Premiership match between London Irish and Newcastle Falcons at The Brentford Community Stadium, London on December 04 2021 (Photo: Danny Loo/PPAUK)
Newcastle Falcons: Unknown
Northampton Saints: None (was previously Dan Biggar)
Sale Sharks: George Ford - £450,000
Saracens: Owens Farrell - £750,000
Owen Farrell (c) of the Saracens during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Match between Bath Rugby and Saracens at the Recreation Ground on 17 Oct. Photo: Steve Haag/PPAUK
Owen Farrell Facts:
- The Saracens star went to school with England teammate George Ford
- His education began in rugby league – he joined Wigan St Patricks at the age of eight
- He became the youngest ever player to appear in English professional rugby, making his debut aged 17 and 11 days. This record was later beaten by schoolmate Ford
- It’s well known that Owen is the son of Ireland head coach Andy Farrell. However, it’s less commonly know that his uncle Sean O’Loughlin is also a rugby league legend, winning 34 caps for Great Britain between 1993 and 2009
- He was not at first registered as a Farrell, but took mum Colleen’s family name of O’Loughlin. The couple married in 1995, changing Owen’s surname to Farrell the following year.
