England record-setter Ben Youngs has claimed Jack Willis is on the cusp of being the full package as a world-class back-rower, adding that he understands exactly why the forward’s brother Tom has agreed to his Top 14 return.
The Willis brothers are set to face each other in London on Sunday in the Investec Champions Cup. Jack has been included at blindside in the Stade Toulousain pack, with Tom named by Saracens as their number eight for the StoneX Stadium fixture.
It’s the first time they have run out as rivals since try-scoring Jack’s Toulouse defeated Tom’s Bordeaux 31-17 in the May 2023 Top 14 match that took place seven months after the Willis were left clubless following the financial collapse of Wasps.
Both soon headed across the Channel to continue their careers. However, while Jack opted to remain at Toulouse following Rugby World Cup 2023 and sacrificed extending his England career under Steve Borthwick, Tom took up a three-year deal to join Saracens from Bordeaux.
“It’s definitely out of the ordinary…”
With that deal soon set to expire in the summer of 2026, Tom had decided to also give up his England career and rejoin Bordeaux.
In the meantime, the Willis brothers will be on opposite sides in this weekend’s Champions Cup Round Three tie, a situation that Youngs, the retired record men’s England caps holder who now co-hosts the For The Love Of Rugby podcast, described as out of the ordinary.
Youngs never got to play against his older brother Tom during their distinguished careers, as both were involved with the same Leicester Tigers and England teams. “It’s definitely out of the ordinary, two brothers playing against each other at Champions Cup level,” he said in his Planet Rugby Champions Cup column.
“I never did that against Tom as we were both at Leicester, but I can imagine it is a really difficult thing to do because Jack and Tom Willis have a lot of care for each other. If they get an opportunity to go head-to-head with each other with a run-up on Sunday, that will be quite interesting.”
Youngs went on to explore the contrasting playing styles offered by the Willis brothers. “Jack’s ability around the breakdown seems to be far beyond what other players are capable of; he is just that effective. It’s just incredible how he bends, the positions he gets into. He is just amazing. World-class.
“He has gone to France and done such a good job. But equally, his improvement around the ability to offload, chase offloads, link play, all those bits he has got off the back of being at Toulouse because of the way that they play – the Jack Willis that left England, you look at him now and think, blimey, he really is close to being the full package.
“Yes, Tom Willis can jackal, but clearly his ability to leg drive, to stay on his feet, to push out of tackles and gain an extra metre is his point of difference. In many ways, it’s going to be a contrast in styles on Sunday, and I can’t wait to see them go at each other.
“Tom is obviously now heading out to Bordeaux next season as well; I just think some English players are really suited to that French style and the physical demands of the Top 14. The Willis brothers are two great examples.”
Saracens are hosting Toulouse, with both teams having lost their Round Two matches. The English club were beaten by the Sharks in Durban while the French were left shocked by Glasgow Warriors’ incredible second-half comeback in Scotland.
Both teams have since stuttered in their respective leagues, Saracens losing to Exeter Chiefs and Leicester in the PREM, and Toulouse surprisingly ambushed at Perpignan in the Top 14 six days after they had obliterated La Rochelle 60-14 at home.
Saracens boss Mark McCall called out the attitude of his team in the opening part of their 36-28 loss at Welford Road last Sunday, and Youngs has now given an insight as to why the 2023 PREM champions have lost more games than they have won this season.
“For so many years, Saracens have been so consistent, just churning out results and winning and doing what they do. But there is not as much rhythm to their game at the moment; they are not winning collisions as we are so used to seeing,” said Youngs.
“Mark McCall criticised their attitude last Sunday at Leicester. Obviously, he saw things he didn’t like as someone who has been there a decade and a half now and has seen it all.
“No matter what is going on, Saracens usually bring enthusiasm and a constant wave of energy for 80 minutes. Every stoppage on the pitch, they are pumping each other up and getting each other ready. McCall was probably right in terms of we didn’t see that for the first 20, 30 minutes at Tigers.
“There was a moment when Nick Tompkins got pulled over his own line, and no one came in and got around him. It sounds crazy, something so simple, but that wasn’t what Sarries are about.
“Normally, everyone would be around Tompkins and pumping up how they can’t wait for the scrum and that challenge. I just didn’t see that energy and life about them. McCall saw this lack of bounce and encouragement for each other.
“Saracens will welcome a change of scenery from the PREM coming into the Champions Cup, and they are at home, but to think of Toulouse losing another pool game after the Glasgow defeat is unimaginable, given the quality they have and what they recently did to La Rochelle in the Top 14. This will be an edgy affair, but Toulouse will just have too much.”