France captain Antoine Dupont has admitted he is “surprised” by the Rugby Football Union’s rule preventing Steve Borthwick from selecting overseas-based players.
England’s selection policy sidelines his Toulouse team-mate and in-form forward, Jack Willis, from the Six Nations clash between Borthwick’s side and France at Twickenham.
Dupont said he was relieved at not having to face Willis and acknowledged that England will be missing out on a dangerous player in the pack due to the policy.
“I’m a bit surprised, but I’m quite happy not to be playing against Jack. We know the nightmare he is in the ruck area,” Dupont said.
“Their rules are different from ours, and it’s like that for the moment. I don’t think they will change it soon.”
While Tom Willis earns his first England start at No 8, his brother Jack is among the 11 players from England’s 2023 World Cup squad who are based in France and not eligible for selection.
The RFU implemented the rule to help preserve the competitive integrity of the English Premiership.
Borthwick highlighted that England’s loss to Ireland last week was due to a lack of experience and such selection policies may come under increased scrutiny, with captain Maro Itoje urging the RFU to change the rules.
“We want all the best players to be available for selection for England,” Itoje said. “We want all the guys who are playing well playing for England, or at least being available for selection.”
Itoje has recently turned down a move to France in order to continue his international career.
“The reason I didn’t pursue that is because I wanted to play for England. I felt like my time in an England shirt was not quite done yet,” he said.
“In my heart of hearts I would have been looking at England playing from across the Channel and I wouldn’t have been at peace with the decision.”
