Nowell targeting Twickenham triumph

By Jim Van Wijk
25/6/21

Jack Nowell hopes to make it a summer to remember after an injury-ravaged campaign to forget by helping Exeter deliver another Gallagher Premiership final triumph and earn himself the chance of an England recall.

The Chiefs face Harlequins at Twickenham on Saturday for what will be a sixth successive appearance in English rugby’s domestic showpiece.

Nowell returned from a knee ligament injury last weekend and scored two tries in the Premiership play-off victory over Sale, when he had been deployed at full-back.

The 28-year-old wing had seen his campaign blighted by toe and hamstring injuries, which limited him to only three other appearances.

With spending so much time in the treatment room, Nowell has missed two Six Nations and an autumn campaign – his last England cap coming at the 2019 World Cup.

Nowell is determined to make an impact against Quins to put himself firmly back in the international picture for the matches against the United States and Canada at the start of July.

“It’s been a bit brutal, but it’s kind of one of those things,” said Nowell, whose fitness issues saw him unable to make a meaningful push for the British and Irish Lions squad.

“I have had my down days and stuff, but I know there’s a lot more to play for. I knew if I kind of sat back then I probably wouldn’t have made it to these big games in the end of the year. But I’m happy that I kind of dug in, because you know this has always been a big target and I love playing these games, so I am glad that the coaches have trusted me a little bit.

“I have had those niggles and unfortunately they are probably never going to go away, but I feel like I’m on top of them.