Jack Willis has capped off a stellar campaign in France by being named the Top 14 Player of the Season for 2024/25 – succeeding Toulouse teammate and France captain Antoine Dupont.
The exiled England flanker was instrumental in Toulouse’s record 24th French title, stepping up in Dupont’s absence through injury and scoring two tries in June’s final.
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Willis, 28, edged teammate Thomas Ramos, who kicked 24 points in the decider, and Bayonne centre Sireli Maqala to take home the coveted award at Monday night’s ceremony at the L’Olympia theatre in Paris.
“I’ve been lucky to win tonight but I think a lot of people in the team could have won it,” Willis said.
“All the 23 from the final, semi-final, during the season, all deserved to be here. I voted for Thomas, but Thomas voted for Matthieu Jalibert,” he added with a grin.
The former Wasps man joined Toulouse in 2022 after the English club collapsed financially, and while his move to France ended his Test career under England’s current selection rules, Willis says he has no regrets.
“It wasn’t easy when I arrived – Wasps had no money, it went quick,” he told the media.
“I was given an opportunity to play for six months first up, I’m very grateful to Toulouse for the incredible opportunity. Now three years later, it hasn’t turned out too bad.”
Willis becomes the first English winner since Zach Mercer in 2022, breaking Dupont’s two-year streak as the competition’s standout player.
Meanwhile, Bordeaux-Begles winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey walked away with the France International Player of the Season award after lighting up Les Bleus’ Six Nations Grand Slam with 12 tries in eight Tests.
“I don’t put that much importance on scoring tries and statistics,” said Bielle-Biarrey.
“My game is not just about scoring tries – there are other things that make a good winger.”
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Other winners on the night included Toulon’s Gaël Dréan (Breakthrough Player), Montauban full-back Jérôme Bosviel (Pro D2 Player of the Season), and France Women’s No 8 Téani Feleu, who was named Women’s Player of the Season following Les Bleues’ run to the World Cup semi-finals.
“We’re finally seeing a change,” said Feleu.
“It gives you energy to do more. It’s only a positive thing and will increase the standard of play in France.”
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Lionel Hahn/Getty Images
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