Jack Willis in ineligible for England selection after joining Toulouse – Matthew Childs/Reuters
Antoine Dupont has admitted his relief at not having to face his Toulouse team-mate Jack Willis when France meet England this weekend.
Willis, one of the best players in France since joining Toulouse, is ineligible for selection along with the rest of England’s players who are based overseas.
Speaking after France’s captain’s run at the Allianz Stadium about the selection policy and the absence of Willis for England, Dupont said: “I’m a bit surprised, but I’m quite happy not to be playing against Jack [Willis] tomorrow. We know the nightmare he is in the ruck area. Their rules are different from ours, and it’s like that for the moment. I don’t think they will change it soon.”
Dupont’s comments followed England captain Maro Itoje, while discussing England’s selection policy regarding overseas players, admitting he would not have been at peace with moving to France a few years ago.
Itoje was given a substantial offer to join Racing 92 on loan when Saracens were relegated from the Gallagher Premiership, but his move was blocked as it did not meet the “exceptional circumstances” clause that was part of the previous Professional Game Agreement.
He was also a target for clubs in France towards the end of 2023, before signing a new enhanced hybrid contract to remain with Saracens.
“The reason I didn’t pursue [a move to France] is because I wanted to play for England,” Itoje said. “I felt like my time in an England shirt was not quite done yet. In my heart of hearts, I would have been looking at England playing from across the Channel and I wouldn’t have been at peace with the decision.
“There are a whole load of different factors one can use to determine whether you stay here or go there but, for me, I felt it would have been a bit premature if I went at that time.”
A number of players from England’s last Rugby World Cup squad are now based in France. Willis and Joe Marchant, of Stade Français, are two players who would immediately improve Steve Borthwick’s squad, while others players in the Top 14 include Kyle Sinckler, David Ribbans and Lewis Ludlam at Toulon, Owen Farrell and Henry Arundell at Racing 92, Billy Vunipola (Montpellier), Mako Vunipola (Vannes), Manu Tuilagi (Bayonne) and Courtney Lawes (Brive).
Addressing the selection policy and how the England squad might look with those French-based players available, Itoje replied: “All of that is a little bit hypothetical. Many of them could be in England but that doesn’t mean they would get picked because there is a lot of competition in almost every position. Nothing is guaranteed whether they are here or there.
“We want all the best players to be available for selection for England. We want all the guys who are playing well playing for England, or at least being available for selection.
“But everyone has their own individual careers and you have to make decisions which benefit you. I have a lot of respect for all the guys out there. I have played quite a lot of rugby and played quite a lot of rugby with them. I wish them all the best.”
‘Fun’ Premiership is letting down England, so they should pick from France
Leinster’s signings of RG Snyman and Jordie Barrett last year ensured that the Irish province’s recruitment of Rabah Slimani barely generated any fanfare.
Slimani’s contract at Clermont Auvergne had not been renewed and it seemed the then 34-year-old tighthead, who had won the last of his 57 caps for France in 2019, had been signed as much for his intellectual property to help develop Leinster’s young front-row forwards as he was to provide injury cover.
Yet his signing proved to be a masterstroke by Leinster’s director of rugby, Leo Cullen, who had talked Slimani out of retirement. With Tadhg Furlong missing the first three months of the season with a calf injury, Slimani has made 12 starts and emerged as something of a cult hero in Dublin with his scrummaging prowess.
The late flourish to his playing career did not go unnoticed by France head coach Fabien Galthié, who recalled Slimani to his Six Nations squad last month, despite the huge depth of talent available to him in the Top 14.
Slimani’s story is significant for two reasons. First, it could open the prospect of Premiership clubs signing France-qualified players, given that it sets a precedent that playing overseas does not preclude them from being selected for their country.
Rabah Slimani’s recall by France points the way ahead for England – Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images
Secondly, it shines a spotlight on the Rugby Football Union’s rule that does not allow players who ply their trade outside England to be selected for the national side, and at a time when Steve Borthwick would no doubt love to draw upon the experience and talent of English players who are playing their club rugby across the Channel.
Borthwick has consistently highlighted his squad’s low number of caps as a reason for their inability to convert match-winning positions into victories over the past year, with the post-match analysis of England’s defeat by Ireland last Saturday providing the most recent evidence.
It was interim Ireland head coach Simon Easterby’s ability to introduce a bench featuring a total of 509 caps (including former Lions Cian Healy, Iain Henderson, Jack Conan and Conor Murray, and a future one in Dan Sheehan) compared with just 81 on the English bench that proved decisive.
England faded to yet another Test-match defeat, this time against Ireland – Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Just imagine for a moment that Borthwick’s bench in Dublin on Saturday had contained such Test-match animals as Kyle Sinckler, Courtney Lawes, David Ribbans, Lewis Ludlam, Billy Vunipola, Joe Marchant, Owen Farrell and Jack Nowell.
The list of English talent in France goes on: Manu Tuilagi, Sam James, Dan Robson, Mako Vunipola, Kieran Brookes, Will Collier, Alex Moon, Junior Kpoku, Sam Simmonds, Joe Simmonds and Zack Henry. It is almost possible to select a 23-man squad that would bring hope to the hearts of the England supporters at headquarters on Saturday.
The overseas rule, in place since 2012 and a central plank of the new eight-year partnership with Premiership Rugby, has laudable aims. It not only protects the Premiership but also gives England greater access to their players and to monitor their conditioning and have the final call on key medical decisions.
The problem facing the RFU is whether the Premiership – without the jeopardy of relegation and the desire to play attractive, high-scoring games to increase its entertainment value – provides the best environment to produce players ready for the white-heat battle of the Test arena.
It is not that long ago that the likes of Harlequins were regarded as an outlier in the Premiership for their penchant for an attractive ball-in-hand game, while the hard-edged approach of Saracens would provide the bulk of the England side. Go back another 20 years and the physical menace of Leicester Tigers (and Wasps) formed the backbone of the 2003 World Cup-winning side.
Removing relegation from Premiership has diluted ferocity
Right now, the Premiership is serving up attractive and entertaining rugby, with refereeing to suit, but also an alarming number of one-sided games, with greater rotation of smaller squads and the absence of the absolute fear of relegation that provided the kind of dogfights that tested the mettle of players.
And let us consider the experience of those players who are playing in France. Is it not the case that Jack Willis has benefited hugely from the experience of training and playing alongside the star-studded Toulouse side? Of course his game has developed in that environment, it is simply not logical to suggest otherwise.
And as Slimani has proved by his experience at Leinster, a move to a new culture can be invigorating for those at the tail-end of their careers. One can only imagine the excitement among England supporters if Borthwick was suddenly able to call on any of the seasoned internationals across the Channel, who may not be players for the long term but still able to do a job when it matters.
It is time to consider triggering the “exceptional circumstances” clause in the overseas rule, which is meant to cover injury crises. Because a winning England team matters more than anything. The trickle-down effect on the Premiership is hugely significant, both in terms of finance and interest, at a time when the broadcasting rights for the Six Nations and summer and autumn Test windows are going out to market.
One can only imagine what France think of the decision of Les Rosbifs not to pick players in the Top 14, without question the best league in the world.
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The post Antoine Dupont ‘surprised’ by RFU selection policy: ‘I’m happy at not facing Jack Willis’ first appeared on Rugby 247.
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Author : rugby-247
Publish date : 2025-02-25 13:45:25
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