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'We are very, very close. Seeing that happen to him was just horrible'

(Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

Tom Willis, the 22-year-old younger brother of injured England back row Jack, has spoken about he managed to get his head around the “horrible” injured suffered by his brother last Saturday to go out and star for Wasps in the Gallagher Premiership the following day.  

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Willis was shaken by seeing his 24-year-old brother suffer the devastating knee injury that has ended his season, but he turned around less than 24 hours later to score a first-half try in Wasps’ 17-13 league win at Worcester. 

“It was tricky in the build-up, the day before, that evening leading into it, thinking about Jack, seeing how was doing and the morning of the game I was quite concerned,” explained Tom, reflecting on a weekend of vastly differing emotions for the Willis siblings. 

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Eddie Jones on Jack Willis’ injury and the win over Italy

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Eddie Jones on Jack Willis’ injury and the win over Italy

“He had a scan that day (Sunday) but the thing is you have just got to get your head around it. You have got a game and you switch in for the team and everyone got around me as well, I got a lot of support. Once it kicked off the game was the only thing on my mind by then.  

“We are very, very close. Seeing that happen to him was just horrible. It hurt everyone. It wasn’t nice to see. No one enjoys seeing that. Most people don’t know what happened in the (England) game after that because they were so gutted for him. 

“In terms of the risk it [that injury] can happen to me, it’s just the nature of the game. It can happen to anyone and it is not going to do you any good speaking about that heading into games. You have just got to focus on your job.”

Wasps boss Lee Blackett was thrilled with how back row Tom handled that mental challenge of playing so soon having seen his brother get so badly injured. “Really good. I didn’t speak to Tom the previous day but other coaches had and he was pretty down and you could tell on game day. 

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“It was one of those where I was even thinking Saturday, do you get in contact? Maybe the best thing was to let Tom settle a bit. Such a ridiculously tight pair, they are. I knew Sunday would be a difficult challenge for Tom but the way he got over it, the way he played.

“He found out briefly just before kick-off that his brother hadn’t done his ACL so he got a bit of positive news in terms of that and it probably gave him that little bit of a buzz. What a performance from him. 

“I thought he was brilliant, especially the first half. Really, really happy with him because it was tough for us all to watch on Saturday, but when it is your brother and especially the relationship they have it must have been very difficult. 

“I was massively concerned,” he added, outlining his general concerns for the Wasps team following Willis’ injury with England. “I knew how it had impacted on me and some of our staff… I saw how upset people were and gutted for him. But the last thing Brad Shields said in the changing rooms before we ran out was there was one guy who would love to be here with us today, let’s go and put a performance out for him.”

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J
JPM 47 minutes ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 50 minutes ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

11 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
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