England star who can't play on the international scene named best player in France

Jack Willis was named the best player in the Top 14 on Monday night as the Englishman continues to excel for French champions Toulouse. The flanker moved across the Channel in 2022 and has continued to go from strength to strength with his stock at an all-time high.

Willis, who has been snubbed by England due to their refusal to pick players based overseas, has won three Top 14 titles on the bounce with Toulouse, whom he joined after the demise of boyhood club Wasps.

His move to France was initially on a short-term deal, but he pledged his future to the French giants and, as a result, closed the door on playing for England. Now 28, Willis is at the peak of his powers but still only has 14 England caps to his name.

He beat Toulouse team-mate Thomas Ramos and Bayonne’s Sireli Maqala to the most prestigious award in France, regarded as the world's best league. It had been won by Antoine Dupont in 2023 and 2024, but Willis has now assumed that crown.

He said at the awards ceremony in Paris: “I have been lucky to win, but a lot of people in the team could have won it. All the 23 from the final, semi-final, during the season, all deserved to be here. I voted for Thomas, but Thomas voted for (Bordeaux-Begles fly-half) Matthieu Jalibert.”

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Reflecting on his journey Willis added: “I was given an opportunity to play for six months first up; I’m very grateful to Toulouse for the incredible opportunity. Now three years later, it hasn’t turned out too bad.”

Whilst playing for the French side Willis has also won the European Cup, further adding to his legacy with Toulouse. The back row has signed a deal with the Top 14 champions that will keep him there until 2029, although there is a clause that allows him to return home for 2027, just as the Rugby World Cup comes around.

England have won just one Six Nations title since 2017 but their desire to stick to their policy has cost them the chance to pick some elite players - the likes of Henry Arundell was unavailable until he moved back to his homeland this summer.

England boss Steve Borthwick has previously underlined his faith in the policy and the reason it is in place. He said: “The decision has been made. I’ve said this publicly before where we’ve got to create a system in England, for the clubs to be so good, the national team to be so good, the pathway to be so good that players don’t want to leave.

“If we’ve created the framework and a rule that players will only be picked from England, we’ve got to have the best competition in England. That’s what I want, that’s what we would all want. We all want our best players playing in England, so that’s building a system that makes them never even want to look overseas, they’ll want to stay here. That’s imperative.”