Ireland is ready to use a special rugby rule to bring in a former England star.
International rugby has taken a back seat to club rugby for now, but Ireland and England are already looking forward to July when they’ll join the first-ever Nations Championship. Coaches Andy Farrell and Steve Borthwick will be watching their players closely during club games to decide who should join the Irish and English squads.
Ireland will want to keep the momentum from their strong Six Nations run, where they gave new players a chance to shine as they get ready for the 2027 World Cup. At the same time, Ireland might be interested in signing a former England star. According to Ruaidhri O’Connor, a rugby reporter for the Irish Independent, Jack Willis—a talented player who will become Irish-qualified in October—could be a key addition.
O’Connor says Ireland should really push to sign Jack Willis when his contract with Toulouse ends, even though he has played 14 times for England’s back row. On the Indo Sport podcast, he shared: “If an Irish team made him an offer he couldn’t refuse, he’d probably take it. He won’t be playing for England while he’s in France, but if an Irish province signs him next, he can play for Ireland.”
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is actively trying to recruit players who qualify to play for Ireland. They’ve recently signed Josh Neill from South Africa, and Ulster is bringing in two Irish-qualified teenagers next year. They’re searching worldwide for talent to boost the team.
O’Connor added, “There’s a player playing really well right now. The IRFU have tried to sign Jack Willis before, and although he said no in the past, it’s still possible. He won’t come back immediately, but from October he’s eligible, and he’s a great player.”
He also mentioned another player, Hoskins Sotutu, an All Black who’ll play for England soon after signing with Newcastle Red Bulls. “This rule is out there for everyone to use, though I’m not a fan of it,” O’Connor said.
In rugby, like in football, there’s a “grandparent rule” that lets players represent a country different from where they were born if they have a connection through their grandparents. There’s also a residency rule—which allows players to represent a country if they’ve played for a club there for five years. Ireland is looking to use the grandparent rule to bring Jack Willis on board, but England might also try to get him back in their team.
O’Connor, along with Luke Fitzgerald and Will Slattery on the podcast, suggested that maybe the Willis brothers don’t feel fully connected with coach Borthwick or the England setup since they chose to play in France. Tom Willis, who played under Borthwick, left Saracens for Bordeaux-Begles recently, ending his England career for now and probably through to the 2027 World Cup.
But it might just be about money—Top 14 clubs in France can pay much higher salaries than English Premiership teams. England fans have debated for years whether players outside the Premiership should be allowed to play for England again. Some say it would help bring England back to world-beating form and win that second World Cup, but the Rugby Football Union prefers to reward players who stay with English clubs.