Bristol target Willis likely to see out the season in France

ENGLAND star Jack Willis looks set to spend the rest of the season playing in the French Top 14 despite three of the biggest clubs in the Premiership keen to sign the flanker.

Willis, who came off the bench for his sixth international cap on Sunday in England’s 30-29 defeat to Argentina in the Autumn Nations Series, is a free agent after Wasps went into administration last month, making 167 members of staff redundant.

The 25-year-old is considered one of the jewels in the crown of the former Wasps squad and attracted interest from Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam, Leicester Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick and Northampton Saints boss Phil Dowson.

However, it seems none of the three giants of Premiership rugby are able to find room within the league’s £5 million salary cap to add the turnover king to their squads this season.

The Telegraph report Toulouse now look the most likely club to land the forward, with his brother Tom Willis linked with a move to fellow Top 14 side Bordeaux Begles.

The potential move until the end of the season would not hinder Willis’ availability for the national side ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup as the RFU have made an exemption to their overseas player regulations for out-of-work Wasps and Worcester Warriors players.

The Willis brothers’ move across the Channel is part of a growing trend of Premiership talent leaving England for the Top 14, with Wales captain Dan Biggar swapping Northampton for Toulon with immediate effect, Exeter star Sam Simmonds joining Montpellier and England centre Joe Marchant set to swap Harlequins for Stade Francais next season, according to the latest reports.