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The back garden rivalry that has Wasps' Jack Willis on cusp of England call-up after semi-final heroics
Wasps boss Lee Blackett has spoken about the sibling rivalry that has fired up Jack Willis and left the back row on the cusp of England honours after helping his club qualify for the 2019/20 Gallagher Premiership final.
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The try-scoring Willis walked away from the Ricoh Arena on Saturday as the semi-final man of the match following Wasps’ comprehensive 47-24 win over Bristol and beaming coach Blackett revealed in the aftermath how sibling rivalry has helped to spur the 23-year-old’s game on to new heights since the post-lockdown resumption of rugby in England.
“The scary thing, which I keep saying, is he is going to get better,” said Blackett in a post-match interview with BT Sport. “He has been outstanding. You just have to look at the number of turnovers he gets during the game, but he has added to his game. Look at the leg drive.
“It was said a couple of years ago there was a big competition between the two brothers, who was the better carrier? People said Tom (his 21-year-old brother who plays No8) was and that fired Jack up a little bit to work more on this side of the ball. Just look at his desire to get on the end (to score).
“He is a big defensive leader for us, so a big round of applause. I can’t say enough for him,” continued Blackett, revealing the back garden dynamics in the Willis household growing up. “That was it, Jack tackled, Tom carried. And then Jack generally got up and stole the ball off him. That’s generally how it worked on the back garden.”
"I've just got to keep working hard and improving as a player and hopefully that opportunity comes one day."
Wasps' Jack Willis admits that a future with England is driving him on after a superb man-of-the-match display vs. Bristol Bears ?#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/QgkkFAKdYw
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) October 10, 2020
Later in a separate interview, Blackett said Willis was ready for England. “I don’t think Jack needs to do anything. He has put himself out there and it is now up to Eddie if he wants to select him. I don’t think he is the finished product. He has always been unbelievable over the ball – ever since he was tackling his brother in the back garden. His breakdown work is phenomenal.”
It was only last February when Blackett because head coach in the wake of the departure of long-serving director of rugby Dai Young. Since then, Wasps have won a dozen of their 14 league games and they now head to Twickenham on October 24 for a first final since 2017 when they lost to Exeter after extra-time.
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“It was some performance,” said Blackett after Bristol were sent packing. “They had me pretty speechless there. We have just spoken there now how this isn’t our final and not to celebrate like a final. It’s (only) part of the process of getting ourselves there and we need to make sure we look after ourselves.
“I know that sounds a little bit negative but it wasn’t meant in that way, it was meant in a positive way because potentially when you play in this (a semi-final) and you come away with a performance like we did today, you play your final in the semi and that’s not what we’re about.
“I’m absolutely delighted. We’re going to enjoy it. Why wouldn’t we? But we have got a big game coming up in a few weeks.”
TEAM. WORK.
A thrilling move from @WaspsRugby! ???#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/rpD0hG7CHY
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) October 10, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Did footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
34 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
34 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to comments