England v France: Antoine Dupont reveals surprise at RFU rule - 'I’m quite happy not to be playing against Jack Willis'

Antoine Dupont knows Jack Willis well, having played alongside the English back row at club side Toulouse. The France scrum-half has revealed that he is surprised the Rugby Football Union do not allow players from outside the Gallagher Premiership to represent their country, and admits that he is relieved not to be coming up against Willis in this year's Six Nations.

Antoine Dupont admits he finds the Rugby Football Union’s rule banning English players plying their trade outside of the Gallagher Premiership from representing their country as "surprising".

However, the French scrum-half insists he is glad not to be coming up against Toulouse team-mate Jack Willis at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday.

Willis is just one of several experienced stars who are currently unavailable for international selection while they represent clubs in the Top 14, a list that includes the likes of Owen Farrell, Kyle Sinckler and Manu Tuilagi.

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Steve Borthwick's side are desperate for a win having lost six of their last seven matches, but Dupont does not believe the RFU will change the rule any time soon.

"Yeah, I’m a bit surprised, but I’m quite happy not to be playing against Jack," he told The Guardian. "We know the nightmare he is in the ruck area.

"Their rules are different from ours, and it’s like that for the moment. I don’t think they will change it soon."

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Video credit: SNTV

England captain Maro Itoje is another big name who reportedly could have been tempted by a lucrative move to the Top 14, but so far he has opted to stay in the Gallagher Premiership.

The second row insists that his time in an England shirt is not over yet but admits that he does want the best players available for selection.

"The reason I didn’t pursue that is because I wanted to play for ­England," Itoje added. "I felt like my time in an ­England shirt was not quite done yet.

"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.

"There are a whole load of different factors one can use to determine whether you stay here or go there but, for me, I felt if I went it would have been a bit premature if I went at that time.

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"We want all the best players to be available for selection for ­England. We want all the guys who are ­playing well playing for England, or at least being available for selection.

"But everyone has their own ­individual careers and you have to make ­decisions which benefit you. I have a lot of respect for all the guys out there.

"I have played quite a lot of rugby and spent quite a lot of time with a lot of them. I wish them all the best."

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