The phone call that stunned Steve Borthwick and ended Tom Willis’ England career

Gavin Mairs Sun, 18 January 2026 at 8:00 am UTC·12 min read It was the phone call that Tom Willis did not want to make, but one that he knew he had to. It was the start of an English rugby tragedy unfolding. It was October 16 last year and Steve Borthwick was due to name his England squad for the autumn internationals in three days’ time. Willis, Saracens’ No 8, would have been one of the first names on the list, although at that moment he may not have known just how highly the England head coach rated him.Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Willis had largely been on the fringes of the England squad since returning from Bordeaux to join Saracens at the start of the 2023-24 season,...