World Cup winner Lewis Moody wants England to scrap the bonkers rule that is denying Jack Willis a place in the Six Nations team.
The Rugby Football Union currently enforces a self-defeating, outdated selection policy that prevents any England-qualified player based overseas from being selected by Steve Borthwick unless it is in exceptional circumstances.
The financial collapse of Wasps in 2022 forced redundant Willis to move to France where he has been tearing up trees with Toulouse amongst some of the best players in the world.
Now Willis, at the peak of his powers playing in the same position as Moody once did, cannot be unleashed against Ireland in England’s opening game of the Six Nations, and Moody wants the rule thrown out.
Known as Mad Dog for his fearless play during his 71 cap England career, Moody was an outstanding back row forward who won the extra-time line out that led to Jonny Wilkinson’s World Cup winning drop goal in 2003 against Australia.
“To not have someone like Jack available for selection is just bonkers, absolutely bonkers,” he told talkSPORT.com. “The biggest tragedy in the game is that the guys playing over in France aren’t having the opportunity to play for Steve Borthwick.
“I would love to see Jack [in an England jersey], I think that would be great.
“If the British and Irish Lions pick him [to go to Australia this summer], then for me, it’s like, what are we doing not allowing our best players to be available for selection for our national team, because some ridiculous rule says our English based players can’t play abroad. I just think it’s absurd.
“Other nations have proved, on numerous occasions, that players can play abroad and come back and play equally well for their country. South Africa is probably the biggest exponent of that. I would love to see that too because Jack is a remarkable player.
“His ability and the breakdown reminds me of [former Australia captain David Pocock]. Pocock was just a piece of granite over the ball and Jack reminds me of him in that sense. Maybe he doesn’t quite have the same all around game as some of the other back rows out there, but just his ability to be an absolute bloody nuisance in that breakdown can be the difference between winning and losing a game.
“Marcus Smith would relish the opportunity to be facing a broken field defence that’s disorganised, in disarray, because the ball has been turned over giving him a chance to attack. I am sure the Lions would revel in having Jack.”
Even without Willis, whose brother Tom is a captain-in-waiting according to Moody, the former back row is hopeful of an England win, but the enormity of the task in Dublin could suffocate an English team who have failed to produce a significant win since beating Ireland in the nail-biting 23-22 game at Allianz Twickenham in the last Six Nations.
Moody continued: “I think it’s whether England can stay in the fight long enough and if they can nullify Ireland who have had such an impressive attack over the years. No matter who they bring in at fly half they always seem to be able to create holes in the opposition defence while their own defence is absolutely rock solid.
“So, for England, it’s just the ability to defensively stop Ireland and then to get over the whitewash themselves. To beat the sides like Ireland, you need to be putting three or four tries on the board to really be in with a shout, because they’re going to do the same to you.
“It’s a little bit like playing New Zealand. You know, whatever happens, they’re going to score against you. If Ireland get ahead, then the game will be done dusted and it could be done and dusted in the first half but I’d like to think that’s unlikely.”
