England Under 20s

Jack Nowell

Key Facts

Squad	Exeter Chiefs
Position	Full Back/Centre
Age	20
Height	1.8m (5'11")
Weight	89kg (14st 0lb)
Caps	U20: 2

As the LV=Breakthrough Player for 2012-13, Jack Nowell has already achieved much in his burgeoning career. He was chosen after a public vote from a shortlist of ten nominees. Jack was presented with the award by Rob Hunter, then the England U20 head coach and said: “It is a huge honour and I have been really fortunate with all the coaching I have had throughout my career. I would like to thank all the people who have helped me to get to this stage.”

Rob added: “All the players shortlisted are outstanding talents but Jack is a deserved winner of this award. He has been a stand-out performer in the England age grade sides and his progress has been really pleasing.” He scored two tries against Italy and one against Wales in his three U20 games this season and helped his team to lift the RBS 6 Nations Championship title at that level.

Being a try-scoring man of the match on his England U18 debut against Ireland at Donnybrook in December 2010 swiftly illustrated his talents. He said: “I was delighted to go over for my try towards the end. We had managed to push on in the second half.”

Jack also bagged a try from full back on his second appearance against Italy at Sale in February 2011 and two in the Wales match at Auch two months later. His first was after only a minute and his second helped England to rally in exhilarating style from 27-10 adrift to achieve a 38-34 victory.

Truro-born Jack studied at the college there and took a BTEC in Sport Performance and Excellence. He also did the AASE (Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence) programme designed to help everyone in aspects related to being a semi-professional/professional rugby player.

A member of Exeter Chiefs Senior Academy, he has also played for Redruth and deep into 2010-11 had started at full back in every match for which he had been fit and available. Jack was also a member of the Chiefs squad for the JP Morgan Asset Management Premiership Sevens round at Northampton in July 2010 and the finals at Bath the following month. He was dual registered with Plymouth Albion last season and played for the club in the 2011 Middlesex Sevens at Twickenham.

Jack was previously educated at Newlyn School and Mount’s Bay School in Penzance and first played when six at Penzance-Newlyn RFC, where his mentors were Nicky Brooks and Peter Lugg. Marek Churcher, Josh Lords, Steve Larkin and Ian Boase have developed his game at Truro College and Robin Cowling, Ricky Pellow, Rob Gibson, Rob Baxter and Ali Hepher are his key helpers at Exeter.

England U18 coaches John Fletcher, Peter Walton and Ian Peel also oversaw his development, which encompassed six tries in seven matches for the side. They included one in his final game at that level when his team beat Australia Schools 46-19 at Ignatius College, Sydney in August 2011. He became a member of the England U20 squad for 2011-12 but suffered a long-term knee injury while playing for his club in the Amlin Cup win over Cavalieri Prato in January last year.

His representative honours include Cornwall U15-U18, South West U18 and England U17 Academies. He said: “My big aim is playing rugby but I should always like to be involved in it, maybe as a coach or something like that.”

Jack toured Italy with Penzance-Newlyn and in 2011 went to South Africa with Truro College but his highlight before his England U18 debut was going to Japan with his college for the Sanix World Championship.

He continued: “We played in it for the first time and met Hamilton Boys High School from New Zealand in the final. We had an amazing cultural experience and learned much from playing the best teams from various countries.

“On a broader front, I like the counter attacking ability of Mils Muliaina for New Zealand, Jason Robinson, with his amazing footwork and Kurtley Beale for his all round game. From a personal view point, I always want to improve my own rugby and positional skills. I try to take on board everything that my coaches and mentors convey to me.”