Nowell up for LV= Cup award

Pictures: Exeter Rugby Club/Pinnacle Photo Agency

By Mark Stevens

Highly-rated Exeter Chiefs youngster Jack Nowell is one a number of up-and-coming stars who are battling it out to be this season's LV= Cup Breakthrough Player of the Year.

The 19-year-old Cornishman has been in sensational form this season, featuring for the Chiefs not only in the LV= Cup, but also the Aviva Premiership and the Heineken Cup.

A key figure in this season's LV= Cup competition, Nowell featured in all four of Exeter's LV= Cup fixtures, scoring two tries in the win at London Welsh, as well as another in the home triumph over Northampton Saints.

This season, organisers of the award have changed the selection process by using analysts at Opta to analysed the performances of every Under-23 player in each round of the competition and two players from each round (a forward and a back), along with two players who have outstanding overall competition statistics have formed the shortlist.

Bath Rugby's Tom Heathcote and Ospreys' back rower Sam Lewis were the first two players to qualify for the shortlist, after outstanding performances in the first round. Quins' Luke Wallace and Northampton's Jamie Elliott qualified from Round 2. Marland Yarde and Joe Trayfoot were nominated for Round 3. Ben Spencer and Tommy Taylor were nominated for Round 4 with Jack Nowell and Morgan Allen the final two players following their overall performance in the LV= Cup.

Now we are calling on all Exeter Chiefs supporters to get behind Jack.

Simply click on this voting link  and you’ll also go into the draw to win a signed shirt from the LV= Cup team of your choice. However, hurry as voting closes at 11.59pm on Sunday 10 March.

The player with the highest number of votes will receive the LV= Breakthrough Player trophy, and LV= will donate £1,000 to a grassroots rugby initiative of their choice. The winner will be announced here shortly after voting closes.