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Watch Jack Nowell talk about his First Timer Experience

Jack Nowell is on the verge of realising a lifetime's ambition by playing for England on rugby's biggest stage but the Exeter Chief admits he hated his first taste of playing the game.

The flying winger refused to quit the sport despite his initial dislike of training sessions - and after scoring 12 tries in one game as a teenager he finally fell in love with rugby.

He has since gone from strength-to-strength, making his Aviva Premiership debut against London Irish and scoring his first try for the Chiefs against London Welsh.

"My first training sessions of rugby - and for a while after to be honest - I used to hate the sport; I then scored about 12 tries in one match and realised that I actually quite enjoyed it," said Nowell.
"My first match for Exeter was against London Irish away but the big thing that always sticks in my mind is that I had a chip and chase and remember being told I had dropped the ball over the line - I still to this day think I scored it.”

"My first Premiership try was against London Welsh, I nearly had the ball stripped from my arms but luckily the defender didn't take me and I managed to sneak in under the posts.”

"As soon as I got to college, I realised I could try and pursue rugby as a career - thankfully there was a contract waiting for me from Exeter Chiefs and that was an opportunity I wanted to grasp."

Nowell's interview was part of a new campaign from Premiership Rugby and Aviva to welcome new supporters to Aviva Premiership Rugby this season.
As part of the campaign Aviva and the Premiership Rugby clubs have teamed up to give away almost 2,000 free tickets across every game in the first seven rounds of Aviva Premiership Rugby matches, from the start of the season right up to Christmas.

Nowell is one of 12 club ambassadors - including Chris Robshaw, James Haskell, Schalk Brits and Courtney Lawes - who are backing the 'Aviva Premiership Rugby First Timers' campaign.

Nowell is convinced new supporters who sample life at Exeter this season will follow in his footsteps after just one taste of the Aviva Premiership.

"Why people should come and watch Exeter play is an easy question to answer," he added.

"At the Chiefs we play an exciting brand of rugby, we look to run the ball around and we love to play in front of a packed crowd."
The Aviva Premiership Rugby First Timers programme will give away almost 2,000 free tickets across every game in the first seven rounds of Aviva Premiership Rugby matches, from the start of the season right up to Christmas.

Fans are encouraged to tell friends and family who have never been to an Exeter Chiefs fixture before to visit www.premiershiprugby.com/avivafirsttimers now to sign up for their free tickets.