Baxter’s joy at Nowell deal

Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter has spoken of his delight after Jack Nowell became the latest Exeter Chiefs player to commit his future to the Aviva Premiership club.

England international Nowell has today agreed terms on a new and improved contract that will keep him at Sandy Park until 2017.

And the news that the talented Cornishman is prolonging his stay at the Devon club has been welcomed by Baxter, who in recent weeks has also tied down the futures of fellow young guns Luke Cowan-Dickie, Dave Ewers and Sam Hill.

Baxter said: “It’s fantastic news for us and along with the likes of Luke Cowan-Dickie, Sam Hill and Dave Ewers, we’ve now got most of those young guys tied down and committed to the club long term.

“It’s great for us to know that we are going to be working with this group of players for the next few years – and it’s also a great indicator for us as a club that these players want to stay with us, they are comfortable with us and that they know we can help them not only thrive as club players, but potentially as international players as well.”

As has been the case in recent years, 21-year-old Nowell has been the standard bearer in terms of the emergence of Exeter’s clutch of young talent and Baxter readily admits that if the talent is there and that players are willing to work hard and produce the goods, age is all but just a number in his eyes.

“Obviously what we like to do is give them their opportunity when they deserve it,” explained Baxter. “I think Jack showed that when he came into the Premiership side based on really good form he showed in the LV= Cup games and I think it’s been the same with all the other young guys that have come into the team. They have shown real form, therefore they have been given opportunities and when you’re on form, you tend to take them.

“Jack, I suppose, has been ahead of the other guys for a few reasons based on his maturity, the opportunities he has had, the quality he brings and also the position he plays. Wing, I guess, does lend itself for you to have a go a little bit earlier, but he has had to take every opportunity with two hands, which he has done, and I think it’s a great credit to him that when those opportunities have come along he has taken them not just with Exeter, but with England as well.”

With Nowell currently recovering from recent knee surgery, Baxter is confident Chiefs and England fans will see an “even better” player when he returns to action next term.

“Whether he will be fit for the start of the season, it’s still too early to say,” added Baxter. “We will monitor that closely, but ultimately this period will be very good for him as it will allow him to rest up, recuperate and work on an area of concern with his knee which he hasn’t been able to do flat out for a few seasons now.

“Personally, I’m really looking forward to getting Jack back fighting fit, he’s around the club most days working really hard, being very professional and I have no doubt we will see an even better Jack Nowell next year.”

News of Nowell’s new deal caps what has been an amazing 12 months for the talented back, who in the past year has won five England caps, helped England Under-20s to lift the Junior World Championship for the first time, crowned LV= Breakthrough Player of the Year and was recently up for the RPA Young Player of the Year accolade.

Baxter agrees it has been a fantastic period for Nowell both at club and country level, but believes the future could be even brighter. He continued: “He has everything to play for, he’s going to be training in a new facility, playing on a new pitch and he’s going to hopefully be involved with England in what is a World Cup year. We have to hope we have a fantastic year that will help him along the way, but I know what he’s like and how hard he will work to try and achieve his goals.”