Monye full of praise as wrecking-ball Willis scoops top award

Wasps back-row dynamo Jack Willis has been named as the Premiership’s Player of the Month.

Former England international winger Ugo Monye was full of praise for the 23 year old’s latest title:

"Jack has been a key reason why Wasps have been flying since the restart,” Monye said.

“We can talk about Wasps’ attacking game, which has been excellent, while they also have new management and they all look to be enjoying their rugby. 

"But defensively they have been very good and one of the key features in their game, what’s making them a well-rounded side is their work at the breakdown – that’s been spearheaded by Jack Willis. 

"He’s such an impactful player, he has so many big moments in games that either wrestle back momentum, create momentum or encourage teammates to become better players. 

"He's just been simply outstanding - in every part of his game. Whether it be carrying, lineout, defensively, but more so than anything at the breakdown. Everyone is aware of these new law interpretations and he’s adapted to them really well. It’s been a key feature of his game. 

"His work rate is off the scale but he’s not just been high impact, he’s high quality in everything that he does and that for me is what separates good Gallagher Premiership Rugby players and internationals and potential future internationals."

This is the second time that this award has been bestowed upon Willis, the first being in February 2018.

Monye continued:

"Jack was due to go to South Africa a couple of years ago and had that cruelly taken away from him due to injury but he can’t be too far away from getting his first senior cap.

"He had his injury a couple of years ago and now this (Lockdown) – and that’s what it does to top players, it gives them hunger and a burning desire to get back and get better – which is what Jack Willis has done. 

"For such a young man, he’s a person that every player follows on the pitch. We get obsessed with his work at the breakdown and rightly so, because it is exceptional, but there don’t appear to be too many deficiencies in his game at the moment."