From flat whites to All Blacks: how Piers Francis forged World Cup dream

An usual gap year set the Gravesend born fly-half on a path through the New Zealand rugby system and eventually a place in England’s squad in JapanA number of England’s squad have taken a long and winding road to the looming Rugby World Cup. Manu Tuilagi, Joe Cokanasiga and the Vunipolas all swapped the South Pacific for a new family life in Europe, while Ruaridh McConnochie rattled around the lower leagues and the sevens circuit for years before his electric form for Bath caught the eye of Eddie Jones.No one, though, has taken a more unusual route than Piers Francis, whose journey to Japan vi…