Bordeaux's No 8 faces Gloucester in the Champions Cup, and he's in the kind of form that makes Steve Borthwick's selection rules look painful.
Imagine Steve Borthwick getting one free pick from outside England's domestic league. Most would say Jack Willis, the Toulouse captain and two-time Top 14 player of the season. The sharper bet is that Borthwick would call his younger brother Tom without a second thought.
It won't happen, and the England boss isn't about to rip up his selection policy. But the Tom Willis story deserves another look as World Cup talk heats up. His move to France came after he was offered an enhanced contract, which made it a rare and unprecedented call. It has paid off for him, because he has been tearing through opposition defences for Bordeaux this season.
The timing matters because England's depth at No 8 is thin. Willis is the kind of ball-carrying, high-motor forward any international coach would want in his squad, and his absence leaves a hole that Borthwick will be well aware of.
He gets another chance to make his case on Friday, when Bordeaux open their Champions Cup defence away at Gloucester. A big performance in England, in front of English eyes, would only underline what the national side is missing.
