Advertisement
It's hard to see how Tom Willis could have done any more to justify a place on Andy Farrell's Lions tour.
It's hard to see how Tom Willis could have done any more to justify a place on Andy Farrell's Lions tour.
The former Wasps back row is your traditional No.8, beefy in stature at 6 ft 3 inch and 120 kgs, with ferocious carrying that dominates the gainline.
A shining light for misfiring Sarries
His club Saracens have proven a shell of their former selves since Willis joined the club in 2023 following a spell in the Top 14 at Bordeaux Begles.
The north Londoners are up against it to make the play-offs and have suffered from mass inconsistency, rueing the losses of club stalwarts like Owen Farrell and Sean Maitland.
However, their player of the season award is a no-contest.
Willis' game has reached new heights, and the 26-year-old's blistering Premiership form earned him an England recall for the Six Nations, where he demonstrated his monstrous physicality in a standout first half display against Italy.
Saracens suffered a disappointing loss last time out to Sale Sharks, but Willis was anything but disappointing. He was on a one-man mission to cause havoc to his opposing defence, brushing off tackles and taking names as he went.
George Ford endured a dismal time dealing with his England teammate, and the fly-half wasn't the only one who felt the wrath of Willis' power.
The numbers speak for themselves
Willis' ever-growing highlight reel is backed up by statistics which display his all-court game.
With ball in hand, the Saracen is top in carries, metres made (both 217) and defenders beaten (78 - clear by a whopping 22 of second place Joe Carpenter).
On the other side of the ball, Willis is also dangerous, though, as he ranks third in turnovers won (15).
Lions and England competition
Despite Willis' barnstorming displays, Steve Borthwick stuck with Ben Earl at No.8, even though he's largely deployed as an openside flanker with Saracens. Earl is more of a dynamic forward, known for his lung-busting charges up the pitch, but lacks the physicality of his Sarries teammate.
With size mattering more and more in international forward packs, Willis is almost made for the test scene.
If Willis' name is called at the O2 next week, it would be a surprise to some unfamiliar with the Reading-born forward. Caelan Doris looks the nailed-on Lions Test starter, but if Earl is seen as more of a flanker, there aren't many other options competing with Willis.
Toby Faletau has been in fine form in the URC but is ageing and has his injury concerns, while neither of Scotland's No.8s, Jack Dempsey or Matt Fagerson, have set the world alight this season.
Could we even see him reunited with his brother Jack in the Lions back row?
For me, that’s the smart selection. Andy Farrell, you know what to do.