TJ hopes others follow his lead

Picture: Exeter Rugby Club/Pinnacle Photo Agency

 

Tom Johnson says he hopes to be able to help other young Exeter Chiefs players settle into the England squad, after taking club-mate Jack Nowell under his wing in this year’s Six Nations.

The 20-year-old speedster started every game as England battled their way to a second-placed finish, while flanker Johnson also featured in the victories over Wales and Italy.

Nowell said afterwards that it was ‘awesome having the old boy with me – he looked after me’, and 31-year-old Johnson admitted it was a role he would be happy to continue fulfilling for any other Chiefs youngsters who might make the step up.

“I remember my first time away with England and it is very much like your first day at school – you don’t know the routines or where anything goes,” he said. “It was nice to be able to show Jack what the deal was and where things were, and hopefully I can continue to do that with any other guys coming in.

“I am about 10 years older than Jack so it was nice to look after him. He settled in really well. He was there for the full eight weeks and adapted very well.”

Johnson was speaking at the City of Exeter Rugby World Cup Tag Tournament launch at Sandy Park, which will host three matches at next year’s Rugby World Cup (RWC).

The launch saw 20 local schools each drawn with a country to feature in the tournament.

Each school will do a presentation on their respective country before playing a tag rugby tournament on September 18, 2015 – the same date as the opening ceremony of the RWC.

Exeter Chiefs’ community development manager Marc Dibble, said: “Once we heard that Exeter was going to be hosting some matches, we wanted to see how we could make it a bigger event for the city and the schools in the area.

“Coming off the back of the LV= Cup win, which was our first major trophy in years, rugby in the area is really hot at the moment. It would be mad to not strike now with the Chiefs doing well and the World Cup around the corner.

“Legacy is massive. I think that if the rugby world can emulate what the athletics world has done with London 2012 then we are onto a winner. The legacy starts now in Exeter and we hope in the next five years it will continue to grow and grow.”