Tom Willis has been likened to one of the greatest All Black No.8s of all time – and now is his chance to prove it.

The Saracens back-rower will have a big role to play as the unbeaten side head to Thomond Park to take on Munster in an unmissable Investec Champions Cup clash, live on Premier Sports this Saturday from 5.15pm.

It comes off the back of some stellar displays for Saracens domestically, and English World Cup winner Lawrence Dallaglio believes that Willis’ game is reminiscent of New Zealand great Kieran Read.

“I think there is a touch of the Kieran Read about him in the way he plays the game, both sides of the ball,” said Dallaglio, who will be part of a 34-strong TV team delivering the Champions and Challenge Cup for Premier Sports, the new broadcasters of international club rugby's premier competitions.

“The way he scored that try against Bristol, it was unbelievable. He’s working hard, he’s in a high-performance environment at Saracens, the players and coaches he has got with him are top drawer, top people.

“I am unashamedly biased towards him because I saw him at Wasps with his brother Jack. I can tell you with certainty that when I first came across both players, we knew at Wasps straightaway that it wasn’t a question of if they would play for England but when. Both displayed all the characteristics, DNA, and attitude to go all the way.

“Tom, probably in many people’s eyes, was the one we thought might come through quicker. It turned out to be the other way. If you look at their rugby journeys, it’s extraordinary really. They were super talented, super hard-working and great players.”

Willis made his only England appearance to date in a warm-up clash with Wales ahead of the 2023 World Cup, before missing the final cut for selection.

He was then a surprise omission in the autumn, despite some strong displays for Saracens, but Dallaglio has been impressed by the way the No.8 has responded to that at club level.

And with performances on the road often weighing heavier in the minds of selectors, the two-time Investec Champions Cup winner believes this weekend gives a great opportunity for Willis to show what he can do, coming fresh off a two-try showing in victory over Bristol Bears.

He added: “The Investec Champions Cup is a special competition and there is so much to play for. This maybe the last opportunity to nudge the various coaches across the Six Nations.

“If I were coaching, I would tend to focus my eyes and my energy on players who are away from home and how they perform because you find out so much more about players away from home. We can all play rugby in front of our own fans, but that is not how international rugby or a Lions tour works.

“England didn’t take Tom to the World Cup and I can understand that. I was a little bit more surprised that they didn’t take him in the autumn. When you look at the way he started the season for Saracens, the fact that Mark McCall chose to pick him at No.8 ahead of the current England No.8, tells you everything you need to know. He has trusted him on a consistent basis.

“If you look at his stats, he is head and shoulders the best forward in the league at the moment, in metres made, defenders beaten, tackles made. I think that was encapsulated in his performance at the weekend against a top quality side.

“The data and stats tell you one thing, but what he is actually doing is having interventions in games that change the outcome of the game.”

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