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How Saracens' Willis adapted his game in Top 14 before joining stacked back row
By Josh Raisey
Saracens’ summer signing Tom Willis is “looking forward” to battling with a host of Test stars to start in the Gallagher Premiership champions’ back row this season.
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The 24-year-old arrived at the StoneX Stadium at the end of last season from Top 14 outfit Bordeaux-Begles and has made a good start to life in London, starting in the first three matches of the Premiership season and scoring two tries in a win over Gloucester. However, he started on the bench on Saturday in a victory over Leicester Tigers as Ben Earl and Billy Vunipola both returned from the World Cup with England.
With Samoa’s Theo McFarland, Argentina’s Juan Martin Gonzalez, Scotland’s Andie Christie, and even locks Maro Itoje and Nick Isiekwe being just the Test stars that are competing with Willis for a back row berth at Saracens, he knows he has his work cut out for him to start in a back row that is as good as any in the club game, but it is nevertheless a challenge he is relishing.
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Speaking to the Saracens.com recently, the former Wasps loose forward said he prefers to play No8, a jersey Vunipola has been custodian of for the best part of the decade. Vunipola himself even faces stiff competition from Earl, who established himself as England’s starting No8 in a sensational World Cup campaign. But the one-cap England international feels this competition will only improve the team.
“I prefer to play at No8 because I enjoy carrying the ball and that side of the game,” last season’s Top 14 semi-finalist said. “I know Billy is the established player in that position, and that Ben got a run of starts there for England and did incredibly well at the World Cup, but it’s that competition for places that I’m looking forward to.
“Back row is a massively competitive area in the team, but that is only good for each of us and will be good for the team when you are looking to fight on multiple fronts over the season. It means you have to fight in every day and in every training session to earn your place in the team.
“The World Cup players will be back in a week or so and that will give everyone at the club a huge lift. Coming to Saracens has been completely different to anything else I’ve experienced in my career, but I’m loving it.”
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One thing that might give Willis an advantage over his teammates is his experience of playing in the Top 14 last season. The No8 joined Bordeaux in November last year after Wasps went into administration, and had a standout season which culminated in him making England’s initial World Cup training squad and earning his first cap against Wales in a World Cup warm-up.
Willis also explained how he had to adapt his game in France due to the physical nature of the league, which forced him to change he way he carried the ball.
“I had to adapt my game massively when I went to play in France,” he said. “It is a far more physical league, there are some strange refereeing decisions, and the fans are absolutely mad. You can’t afford to just run in straight lines because you get smashed by two or three people.”
Saracens face bottom of the league Newcastle Falcons this Sunday at Kingston Park.
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Sad to say Billy has got to do some soul searching before he is competition for Willis or Earl but I'm sure he will be given plenty of chances to regain some form.