Leicester Tigers sensation Billy Searle has revealed that he is in the running for an England call-up this summer, after securing the Leicester 10 shirt in a sensational return to the English PREM.<\/p>\n
The 30-year-old has been in electric form for the Tigers since returning to England from a stint out in France, winning The Gallagher Player of the Month award for January 2026, and keeping Wallabies legend James O\u2019Connor out of the fly-half shirt.<\/p>\n
His reputation has grown exponentially since leaving Worcester Warriors in 2022, when the club was forced into administration. He has since pinpointed his experience in France as the reason for his growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been around a little bit, and some of those decisions have been forced, really, from clubs going bust and other reasons,\u201d he told Jim Hamilton<\/a> and Andy Goode on The Rugby Pod.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I think the last couple of years in France did really help my game, playing week in week out.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like I\u2019ve always had the game, but it\u2019s putting it together and understanding how to do that as a fly-half and lead the team around.\u201d<\/p>\n Searle was able to test himself against the very best when he arrived at six-time European champions Toulouse, before heading into the second division of French rugby. First with Biarritz, and then Agen in Pro D2.<\/p>\n Grinding away under the radar appears to have done wonders for a player who\u2019s never truly been in the spotlight before. He has arrived at one of the biggest, most historic clubs in the world, at the peak of his powers.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess you don\u2019t get the coverage when you\u2019re out there,\u201d Searle<\/a> reflected on his time in France. \u201cBut I feel I\u2019ve been in a good spot the last couple of years, and coming back now, it\u2019s great to get that chance. And yeah, just want it to continue as long as I can here, if possible.\u201d<\/p>\n URC round 16: Predictions, teams, kick-off times, how to watch and referee appointments<\/a><\/p>\n Rivalry with James O\u2019Connor<\/p>\n When Leicester Tigers signed Aussie great O\u2019Connor, there was very little mention of journeyman Searle competing for the number 10 shirt. He was widely considered a potential back-up when O\u2019Connor was rested or away on international duty.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess on paper, you probably have him down as number one, if you\u2019re being honest,\u201d Searle admitted.<\/p>\n Claiming that the starting position was always up for grabs, however, he explained how his role at Leicester was sold to him initially: \u201cThe conversation was, \u2018we\u2019re going to bring someone in, you can compete with and have a real crack at\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cI was confident in my own game, and I wanted to come here and really have a crack at it. I was just waiting for an opportunity, and it came early in the season because he came a bit late through playing in the Lions tour. [He\u2019s] obviously a quality player and a great bloke. I\u2019ve got a lot of time for him.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then just kicked on when I got the opportunity, and played well. I know I\u2019ve got to keep doing that, because you\u2019ve got him waiting in the wings to come in, and he\u2019s a quality player, and quality guy to compete with every day, and it\u2019s probably only making me better.<\/p>\n \u201cThe sell was to come back, and then it\u2019s up to you to do the business in training and on the pitch when you get the opportunity. And I think that\u2019s all you can ask for as a 10.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re always going to have competition in England<\/a>, especially in the Premiership. There are always going to be two or three of you who can play, but I knew if I could get in and play well, I could back my ability to take that shirt if I could.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018It was clear he was unable to function\u2019 \u2013 Ospreys boss blasts cheating accusations to avoid Sharks\u2019 Springboks-powered scrum<\/a><\/p>\n England prospects<\/p>\n One may wonder why, when he was being paid to play rugby in south-west France, he would wish to return to England.<\/p>\n Asked whether an opportunity to wear an England shirt was part of the motivation to return, Searle said: \u201cYeah, I think so, if I\u2019m honest.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was in the back of my mind when I came back and looked at the ten situation in England. You had the three guys in the squad, and then behind that, I felt like I could really push the guys that are in the squad.<\/p>\n \u201cBut to do that, I knew I had to come back and get the number 10 shirt at Leicester first and then play well and lead this team.\u201d<\/p>\n After an impressive performance for England A against Ireland A back in February, scoring a try and kicking five goals, it appears that he\u2019s very much on the senior coaches\u2019 radar.<\/p>\n