Tom Willis to drop out of England reckoning after signing Bordeaux contract

• Saracens No 8 will lose England eligibility in summer

• Borthwick faces dilemma this autumn and in Six Nations

Tom Willis will leave Saracens at the end of the season after signing a contract with Bordeaux that will make him ineligible for Steve Borthwick's England squad. In a major blow to the head coach, the 26-year-old No 8 has rejected a new deal from Saracens in order to return to the club where he spent a chunk of the 2022-23 campaign once Wasps had entered administration.

Since heading to north London in 2023, he has established himself as England's first-choice No 8 and was awarded an enhanced contract by the Rugby Football Union in recognition of the impact he has made.