Brotherly advice is a big help for Tom

TOM Willis felt an outsider the first time he pitched up in England camp but now the Saracens No.8 has got his feet under the table.

- ADAM HATHAWAY

Willis was first included in a pre-World Cup camp in 2023, won his first cap against Wales but was not seen in a matchday 23 again until yesterday's clash with Ireland.

In between, Willis took part in a brief pre-summer tour get-together last year, when Premiership finalists were not involved, but missed the trip to Japan and New Zealand.

The 26-year-old spent part of a season in Bordeaux, after Wasps went bust in 2022, and had not played in England for a while when he first entered national camp.

But, after 10 days in Girona recently ahead of the Dublin match, Willis feels more settled in the elite environment after taking an outstanding run of Premiership form with him to Spain.

And a pep talk from brother Jack, tearing up trees for Toulouse but ineligible for England now, helped the younger Willis make the leap to feeling at home with the country's top players.