Willis sends a reminder to England with starring role

Dai Young spoke of his disappointment that Eddie Jones snubbed Jack Willis from his Six Nations squad after the young flanker inspired Wasps to a morale-boosting, bonus-point victory.

Willis, 23, produced the kind of dynamic and skilful performance, diving over for one try and being involved in another, which helped put him in the England picture two years ago, only for him to miss out on a tour to South Africa due to an ACL injury.

Young, the Wasps director of rugby, enthused: “Jack is an international in waiting. Eddie can’t pick everybody, obviously, because of the quality there is fighting for that position. But Jack is definitely the next cab off the rank.”

Willis produced a crucial turnover at the death, when Warriors were camped on the visitors’ line, which helped Wasps celebrate a win which moves them up the table and Young admitted: “It feels good right now but there is such a long way to go and it ’s always dangerous to get carried away.”

It was joy for Wasps, but disappointment for fly-half Duncan Weir, who was hoping to sign off for Scotland duty with a win, but had to make do with a losing bonus point for Warriors, contributing 16 points with the boot.

Weir kicked an early penalty, but it was the visitors who crossed the line first with Dan Robson and Billy Searle putting Jimmy Gopperth over.

Weir kicked his second penalty before Warriors moved the ball quickly from the back of a scrum and into the hands of flanker Marco Mama, who powered in for a fine try.

Wasps, trailing 13-5 at half-time, applied early pressure and a Searle penalty reduced the gap. Weir replied with a penalty of his own, only to see wing Zach Kibirige finish off a fine, flowing Wasps move for their second try, before Wasps opened up the hosts again, with Willis swooping over the line for a try, converted by Searle.

Centre Ollie Lawrence burst though to score untouched and Weir added the extras, The hosts led going into the final 10 minutes, but Wasps regained the initiative when Kibirige showed searing pace to go clear and feed the ball to Robson for the bonus-point try.

Worcester director of rugby Alan Solomons admitted: “We should have closed the game out at 26-23 and still had an opportunity right at the end but could not get it done.”