When Tom Willis was 11-years-old, his parents opened up the family home in Reading to foster children. Along with his elder brother, Jack, he was surrounded by youngsters from traumatic upbringings. Helping out others from broken homes, there was no chance that Willis would ever claim that his own life was unfair.
Willis was made redundant when Wasps went bankrupt in 2022 and he has been overlooked by England selectors more often than not. Yet not once has he complained. Not once has he spoken out and claimed to be hard done by. Instead, he has made his points on the pitch.
When Wasps went under, he signed for Bordeaux, working on his ball-carrying before an opportunity came up at Saracens. He returned to the Premiership and has established himself as the league’s most effective No 8.
Now his form is set to be rewarded with a place on the bench for England’s Six Nations opener against Ireland. His involvement comes as little surprise to those who know him best.
‘Some people get through on pure talent,’ says Lee Blackett, who coached Willis at Wasps. ‘Tom is talented but what I see is his work ethic. I know he will maximise his career. I know he will look back and have no regrets because he just works so hard.
‘He’s a really humble bloke and it comes back to his upbringing. They grew up with foster children in the house and I think that gave them a great perspective on life.
Tom Willis’ form at No 8 for Saracens means he is set for England’s bench against Ireland – and it has been quite a journey for him
He grew up in a home surrounded by foster children after his parents welcomed them in, and it instilled in him a strong work ethic
Willis had to overcome adversity when Wasps folded and he found himself made redundant
‘Sometimes we’d see the kids at games, that’s the type of family he comes from. You can understand why Tom, just like his brother, has that humility and work ethic.
‘Everyone’s now talking about his carrying stats this season but he’s been doing that for years. Whenever he played for Wasps, he would sometimes have the most carries, the most tackles and the most rucks hit. He’ll scrap for every inch.’
In the Premiership this season, Willis has made more carries and beaten more defenders than anyone else. He has earned his place in the England squad the hard way, with his next challenge being how to secure a place in the starting XV.
Life was turned on its head when Wasps ceased to exist but Willis, 26, used the turbulence to better himself. ‘It was quite simple how I’d approach a game at Wasps, I was well looked after, coming through the academy,’ says Willis.
‘I’d never lived on my own. My missus joined me in Bordeaux a couple of months later but it was a bit of a shock to the system. Not knowing the language was pretty draining but it almost made the game feel simpler. I didn’t get stressed, I focused on bringing energy and physicality.
‘In France, no one owed me anything. I just had to grab hold of it myself. In the first couple of games, I got banged by a couple of Pacific Islanders. I had to look at how I approached my ball carrying, picking better lines and just being smart around that. That’s carried over.’
There has been no shortage of interest in him in the Premiership. Leicester are understood to have enquired about his availability but instead he took on the mantle of Saracens’ long-term replacement for Billy Vunipola.
Nick Kennedy, Saracens head of recruitment, says: ‘I remember watching Tom when he was playing school rugby. He was so physical that one of the London Irish coaches actually wanted to call the game off. I got hold of a team sheet to check his name afterwards, and realised he was only 17. That player then sticks in your mind. You keep an eye out for him and then when he becomes available you are in the mix to sign him straight away.’
He signed for Bordeaux, living on his own for the first time, and rediscovered his form
Willis was awarded with his first England cap against Wales in 2023 and has continued his fine form
Lee Blackett, who coached Willis at Wasps, paid tribute to his work ethic, humility, and fight
Willis has taken up the mantle of replacing Billy Vunipola at Saracens – big boots to fill
While his older brother, Jack, remained in France in pursuit of glory with Toulouse, Tom wants successes nearer home.
‘For me I felt like I had not had a proper crack at playing for England and that is really what I wanted to do,’ he says.
‘My brother is two years older and had 10 or 15 caps and I think he had a different decision to make.
‘I wanted to come back to England, have a proper crack at it, and see where it led me.’
