Jack Willis’ exile from the England Test setup will be extended as he continues his career in the Top 14 with Toulouse.
The flanker joined Toulouse on a short-term deal in 2022 following the collapse of Wasps and has become a regular starter for the side when fit.
In April 2023, he signed a three-year permanent deal with Toulouse until the end of the 2025/26 season. However, there was a clause in the deal which allowed him to return to the Premiership if he wished.
Willis had the opportunity to leave in 2024 or 2025 if he wanted to return to the international fold with
.
However, according to Midi Olympique, he needed to activate the clause in December 2023, which he did not.
The 27-year-old was given special dispensation to represent England in 2023 due to Wasps’ collapse and was included in Steve Borthwick’s squad for the World Cup featuring against Chile.
However, a neck injury brought his World Cup campaign to a premature end as Sam Underhill replaced him in the squad.
That dispensation is no longer in place for Willis and Henry Arundell, who is playing for Racing 92 in the Top 14, meaning they are not eligible for selection for the Six Nations and going forward.
There were hopes that the RFU’s new hybrid contracts would lure some of the top talents back to the Premiership but the 14 Test flanker will remain in France.
His decision means that he will be unavailable to England unless there is a change in the RFU’s selection policy. Willis has been a critic of the policy and has urged England Rugby to change.
“It’s not up to me how these decisions go. If it was, I think I know which way I’d be heading for,” Willis said in April last year.
“Hopefully, they think it through, and hopefully things can change to a degree and open up a little bit more on the leniency.
“To play for England, you’ve got to play your best rugby, and I felt like this was the right place for me to develop as a rugby player and be the best player I can be.
“I know those two things sort of contradict at the moment, but I am hoping it ends up changing so they can align slightly better.”
The policy looks set to remain in place despite several England stars set to make the move across the Channel next season. The likes of Kyle Sinckler, Lewis Ludlam and Owen Farrell have been linked with a move to the Top 14.
