The high esteem in which Jack Willis is held at his club Toulouse, in French rugby circles in general, and regularly in this column, was reflected this week when he won the Top 14 Player of the Year award in front of a full house of France’s rugby union elite in Paris.

After the English flanker’s acceptance speech in French had been relayed to a live TV audience of almost one million, Willis spoke from the heart about his commitment to Toulouse for the way they not only came in for him, but backed him to the hilt after his club, Wasps, went into receivership in 2022.
Willis can be forgiven ...