Nowell grateful to Lancaster

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs star Jack Nowell says he will always be grateful to Stuart Lancaster just days after the latter stepped down in his role as England head coach.

Although Nowell featured only once, scoring a hat-trick of tries against Uruguay during England’s ill-fated Rugby World Cup campaign, the Cornishman says he was disappointed to see the 46-year-old move on.

"For me, personally, he was a guy that put a bit of trust in me and gave me my debut away to France in the Six Nations and he picked me again," said the 22-year-old Cornishman.

"To then be selected for a home World Cup for your country is absolutely massive so, for me, it is a bit disappointing because he put so much trust into me and gave me my shot.

"But we don't make the decisions as players – it is obviously above us with the board.

"For us, the big thing is to come back to our clubs and play well because no one knows what will happen with selection. As long as you are playing well for your club, then you want to put yourself into situations where they have to pick you, so it's a big thing for the players to concentrate on."

Indeed, Nowell’s focus for now is on his club form and, more importantly, this Sunday’s Champions Cup opener away to the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium (5:30pm).

It’s a competition which every player in the Northern Hemisphere loves to feature in and Nowell is no different, insisting it’s every bit as tough as the rigours of Test Match level.

He knows big displays for the Chiefs in this competition against the likes of the Ospreys, Bordeaux-Begles and Clermont-Auvergne will only enhance his own claims to be part of the England set-up moving forward into 2016.

"Even if the selectors stay the same, they pick you based on performances for your club, especially in competitions like this one [the European Champions Cup] so, if you are playing well for your club, then they have to pick you," he continued.

"If you are in that situation now, you have to concentrate on playing well for your team and doing the individual things you need to work on and hopefully you'll be putting your hand up.

"There is talent within the [England] squad and everybody has seen it. There were glimpses at the World Cup, the Six Nations before that and in the autumn internationals. We have got talent and players that you see week in, week out, in the Premiership."