Lions - Jack Willis is sensational for Toulouse in Top 14 final win
Jack Willis was in outstanding form for Toulouse who beat Bordeaux 39-33 after extra-time in the Top 14 final.
Thomas Ramos kicked two penalties in the added time to seal the win but Willis, starting in the Toulouse back-row was superb, scoring two of Toulouse's four tries.
This is a player, excluded from the original Lions squad selection, who has started 25 of the 27 games he has played for Toulouse this season - and he has bagged 10 tries in the process.He was at no7 for last weekend's game at Stade de France but had started half-a-dozen games at no6 and played twice at no8 previously.Willis is not in the current England set-up because they have decided, as part of a general policy, not to pick players who are based at foreign clubs.
His last cap came in March 2023 when, indeed, he was at Toulouse but this was considered an exceptional circumstance as he had moved there following the collapse of his English club, Wasps.However, having not returned to play in England at the beginning of the following season, he has been excluded from their international set-up since.
Blair Kinghorn, who also plays for Toulouse, is a Scotland international regular and started at left-wing against Bordeaux - moving to full-back when Romain N'tamack got injured and Ramos moved to out-half - and has no such international bar on him from the SRU.Farrell hasn't an easy decision to make with regard to Willis. Selecting the exile might not be popular with the English Rugby Union - thought to be Farrell's next employers after Ireland.But then he has been shown as a man of his own mettle before and a lot will rest on how he viewed the collective Lions back-row performances to here.Two games in, Ben Earls, Jac Morgan and Tom Curry had have nightmares against Argentina and Tadhg Beirne, switched from second-row to back-row, didn't show too well against Force.At the same time there has to be satisfaction that 20 year-old Henry Pollock who was asked to play the executive role at no8 for the Lions against Force was within touching distance of Man of the Match.A practical neophyte who, according to the textbook, is 'supposed' to trade at this level by filling in at no6 for a sustained period.Instead, Kaboom!Pollock made 13 carries for 74 metres, two clean breaks beating four defenders, 17 tackles with just one miss and posted a try-assist.
Only Joe McCarthy made more carries, only the back-three made more metres, only James Lowe equalled his clean break/defenders beaten tally, only Josh van der Flier beat his tackle count.
This from a player who wasn't even in the England matchday squad for the 2025 Six Nations game here in Dublin.In fact, he was with the England U20 squad for Rounds 1&2 of the U20 Six Nations and, called into the senior squad, came on as a sub against Wales in the last of their Six Nations games.Playing no7 for England U20s against Ireland U20 at Virgin Media Musgrave Park last January 30, he was instrumental in the English win, the scoreline finishing 3-19.Michael Foy (Munster), Bobby Power (Connacht) and Eanna McCarthy (Connacht) started in the Ireland back-row that night, Oisin Minogue (Munster) came in as a 65th minute sub for Power - none of that quartet have even been in a matchday squad at their provinces.There was also a second bright performance last Saturday in Perth from Josh van der Flier, his first-quarter tackling and covering was sensational and just outstanding thereafter. He made a staggering 18 tackles in the first 55 minutes. Jack Conan came in as a sub late in the game which means he has yet to make a 2025 start for the Lions albeit he is expected to be named at no8 to face Queensland Reds on Wednesday night.The picture still remains unclear as to whether Hugo Keenan will be fit and it is unlikely Blair Kinghorn will be considered having played alongside Willis for Toulouse in the Top 14 final.
Bundee Aki and Huw Jones are the likely centre combination, it is hoped Gibson-Park will be fit for scrum-half, with the likelihood Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan, Will Stuart will comprise the front-row, James Ryan gain a spot in the second-row and with Conan at no8.
The selection of the openside and blindside flankers will be revealing.
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Irish Independent
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8 hours ago
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Lions - Jack Willis is sensational for Toulouse in Top 14 final win
Jack Willis was in outstanding form for Toulouse who beat Bordeaux 39-33 after extra-time in the Top 14 final. Thomas Ramos kicked two penalties in the added time to seal the win but Willis, starting in the Toulouse back-row was superb, scoring two of Toulouse's four tries. This is a player, excluded from the original Lions squad selection, who has started 25 of the 27 games he has played for Toulouse this season - and he has bagged 10 tries in the was at no7 for last weekend's game at Stade de France but had started half-a-dozen games at no6 and played twice at no8 is not in the current England set-up because they have decided, as part of a general policy, not to pick players who are based at foreign clubs. His last cap came in March 2023 when, indeed, he was at Toulouse but this was considered an exceptional circumstance as he had moved there following the collapse of his English club, having not returned to play in England at the beginning of the following season, he has been excluded from their international set-up since. Blair Kinghorn, who also plays for Toulouse, is a Scotland international regular and started at left-wing against Bordeaux - moving to full-back when Romain N'tamack got injured and Ramos moved to out-half - and has no such international bar on him from the hasn't an easy decision to make with regard to Willis. Selecting the exile might not be popular with the English Rugby Union - thought to be Farrell's next employers after then he has been shown as a man of his own mettle before and a lot will rest on how he viewed the collective Lions back-row performances to games in, Ben Earls, Jac Morgan and Tom Curry had have nightmares against Argentina and Tadhg Beirne, switched from second-row to back-row, didn't show too well against the same time there has to be satisfaction that 20 year-old Henry Pollock who was asked to play the executive role at no8 for the Lions against Force was within touching distance of Man of the Match.A practical neophyte who, according to the textbook, is 'supposed' to trade at this level by filling in at no6 for a sustained Kaboom!Pollock made 13 carries for 74 metres, two clean breaks beating four defenders, 17 tackles with just one miss and posted a try-assist. Only Joe McCarthy made more carries, only the back-three made more metres, only James Lowe equalled his clean break/defenders beaten tally, only Josh van der Flier beat his tackle count. This from a player who wasn't even in the England matchday squad for the 2025 Six Nations game here in fact, he was with the England U20 squad for Rounds 1&2 of the U20 Six Nations and, called into the senior squad, came on as a sub against Wales in the last of their Six Nations no7 for England U20s against Ireland U20 at Virgin Media Musgrave Park last January 30, he was instrumental in the English win, the scoreline finishing Foy (Munster), Bobby Power (Connacht) and Eanna McCarthy (Connacht) started in the Ireland back-row that night, Oisin Minogue (Munster) came in as a 65th minute sub for Power - none of that quartet have even been in a matchday squad at their was also a second bright performance last Saturday in Perth from Josh van der Flier, his first-quarter tackling and covering was sensational and just outstanding thereafter. He made a staggering 18 tackles in the first 55 minutes. Jack Conan came in as a sub late in the game which means he has yet to make a 2025 start for the Lions albeit he is expected to be named at no8 to face Queensland Reds on Wednesday picture still remains unclear as to whether Hugo Keenan will be fit and it is unlikely Blair Kinghorn will be considered having played alongside Willis for Toulouse in the Top 14 final. Bundee Aki and Huw Jones are the likely centre combination, it is hoped Gibson-Park will be fit for scrum-half, with the likelihood Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan, Will Stuart will comprise the front-row, James Ryan gain a spot in the second-row and with Conan at no8. The selection of the openside and blindside flankers will be revealing.
