Roughly the same from The Telegraph -
Jack Willis turns to Marcus Rashford?s performance psychologist to reach next level
Toulouse?s gain is England?s loss as Willis revels in the pressure of taking his team to a Champions Cup final
Charlie Morgan, Senior Rugby Writer 2 May 2024 ? 6:00pm
European Rugby Champions Cup, Toulouse FC, Marcus Rashford, England Rugby Union Team
Jack Willis is on a voyage of self-improvement in Toulouse that has already seen the 27-year-old enhance his ball-carrying and learn the language. A more relaxed mind-set on the pitch is the latest development.
Willis, poised for a Champions Cup semi-final against Harlequins on Sunday, credits Katie Mobed at The Prime Clinic with helping him to harness the pressure of big games. Mobed, a performance psychologist who worked with Team GB at three Olympic Games in 2012, 2016 and 2020, has also co-authored two books with Marcus Rashford. Willis believes that the collaboration clears his head from undue distraction and stress.
?I think I?ve learned to give it everything I can on the training pitch and during the week, but probably take a little bit of pressure off myself,? he says of the biggest lesson that his Toulouse stint has taught him so far.
?It probably got to a point where I was putting a lot of pressure on myself daily, which can get quite exhausting, and probably bog you down a little bit. I feel a lot freer mentally, I?ve been doing some work with a psychologist as well, which has been incredible.
?I can name drop her because she?s great at what she does; Katie Mobed, she?s brilliant and a big support to me. I think it frees me up going into games, and that?s quite important.
?If you feel bogged down mentally that does make a big difference. I?m not saying I was in a bad headspace at all, but I think you just have lots going through your mind, and you need to organise things correctly. And I certainly feel a lot freer on the pitch.?
?Pressure feels like a positive thing rather than a negative?
Willis, who has recovered from a stomach bug that kept him out of last weekend?s league game against Racing 92, won the Top 14 title in his maiden season across the Channel. Toulouse have looked irresistible during their current Champions Cup campaign, dispatching Cardiff, Harlequins, Ulster and Bath in the pool stages before ousting Racing and then surging past the defiant Exeter Chiefs with a dominant second-half display.
?I certainly feel I enjoy [the pressure] now,? Willis adds. ?I probably went through a phase of not enjoying it so much. I think now the pressure feels like a positive thing rather than a negative. And I?m looking forward to seeing what I can do out there each weekend and just trying to be the best version of myself for the club.?
The best version of Willis is evolving, which one might expect of a player sharing a squad with luminaries such as Emmanuel Meafou, Fran?ois Cros, Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack. He was never a mug with ball in hand, but Willis has challenged himself to be an attacking asset for Toulouse. His performance against Exeter was a huge endorsement in that regard.
Willis surged 30 metres to score in the first half, clattering through Harvey Skinner in the process, and made more strong carries in the build-up to second-half tries from Dupont and Pita Ahki. The benefits of drilling his leg-drive in contact, as Willis is doing weekly with a small group of Toulouse colleagues, are there for all to see.
Exeter also found the most celebrated area of Willis? game, jackalling, to be in fine fettle. Harlequins are bringing their own exponent in Will Evans, a scavenger whose reputation precedes him.
??Wevs? is a great player, incredible over the ball and certainly dangerous to the way we want to play,? Willis acknowledges. ?We want a flowing attack and to look after the ball when we?ve got it in our possession. He?s obviously a big threat to that and we?ve got to make sure we nullify that as much as possible to get a good foothold in the match.?
Willis expects Marcus Smith and co to ?bring all sorts of tricks? to Le Stadium. A helter-skelter quarter-final victory over Bordeaux-B?gles reinforced that, against Harlequins, ?if you give them an inch, they will take a mile?. Back to Evans, then, is there a jackaller?s collective to supplement the front-row union?
?There?s a mutual respect, I?d say so,? Willis grins. ?Whenever I?m watching games, I?ll keep an eye on players like him. I am always pretty happy when I see a nice turnover or two? not trying to be too much of a nause, but that?s true!?
With that in mind, would Willis like to see Steve Borthwick take a punt on a groundhog like Evans for England?
?Yeah for sure,? Willis continues. ?Will?s a great player and to have an attribute like he does and to perform as well as he does each week, I think it?s only fair that he gets an opportunity, but I don?t pick the team!?
The performances that Willis is producing for Toulouse must be bittersweet for Borthwick ? and, indeed, England supporters ? to witness given the Rugby Football Union?s current selection policy. From the sounds of it, if a clear head is aiding these efforts, Willis knows it is no use fretting about matters beyond his control.
Topic: Jack Willis Interview (Read 201 times)
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