'The RFU should have stepped in... he is a future England captain'

Tom Willis’ exit from English rugby was a familiar pre-match talking point again on Saturday, with Lawrence Dallaglio revisiting the No.8’s impending move to France, when speaking ahead of Saracens’ 31-22 defeat to Bath in the Investec Champions Cup Round-of-16.

Speaking on Premier Sports before kick-off at the Recreation Ground, Dallaglio questioned whether the RFU should have done more to keep the Saracens No.8 in England, given his growing importance within the national setup.

Bath overturned a 10-0 half-time deficit to secure their place in the quarter-finals, powered by a second-half surge from their England backs.

Henry Arundell crossed twice, with Joe Cokanasiga, Ben Spencer and Ollie Lawrence also on the scoresheet as Johann van Graan’s side booked a home last-eight tie against Northampton.

Spencer’s 59th-minute try, the centrepiece of a bold, length-of-the-field attack starting deep inside Bath territory, appeared decisive. Saracens showed trademark resilience to keep the contest alive until the closing moments, before Arundell’s second on the stroke of full-time finally put the result beyond doubt.

Willis is set to leave Saracens at the end of the season and return to France; a decision that will make him ineligible for England selection under current RFU regulations. The younger brother of Toulouse back-row Jack Willis has already been ejected from Steve Borthwick’s England plans and didn’t feature in the Autumn Nations Series as a result of the decision.

England’s policy of not selecting overseas-based players remains in place to protect the domestic game, but Dallaglio was emphatic that more should have been done to keep him in the Gallagher PREM.

“His stats are off the park. They’re ridiculous,” said Dallaglio. “He’s an intelligent footballer as well. He can beat people with power and running lines ability and steps.

“I think England have missed a huge trick letting him go to France.

“The RFU should have stepped in, whatever they need to bridge his salary, he is a future England captain, we’ve allowed him to go to France.

“Whether he comes back again, who knows? His brother is not coming back for a few years, so why would he?

“I’m really disappointed he isn’t an England player. He is Kieran Read in the making, that young man.”