Experienced England international winger Jack Nowell has today ruled himself out of competition for this year’s Rugby World Cup.
The 30-year-old has been a staple for both Exeter Chiefs and England over the past decade and was a key contributor in England’s run to the 2019 World Cup finals.
Having recently signed for Champions Cup winners Heineken La Rochelle, Nowell has made the decision to move to France in July to help his family settle into their new surroundings.
Speaking on the Rugbypass Offload podcast, Nowell said: “No World Cup, I’m not doing the World Cup. I’m just going for a cold. I need to fix my knee. It was obviously a bit of a difficult decision not to turn up for the selection for the World Cup I thought it was probably one I had to do for myself and also for my family.
“We’ll make the most of coming home to Cornwall, we’ll probably spend the next few weeks there, and we’ve got a testimonial tournament at Sandy Park on June 3, which Red Bull will take care of. us.”
Given his decision to ply his trade in France, Nowell could have played his last game for England, given the country’s policy of not selecting foreign players except in extraordinary circumstances.
When asked in more detail about his decision, Nowell said: “Eddie leaving and Steve coming in. I was in contact with Steve early on, and he let me know he wasn’t going to be involved in the Six Nations, that it was completely fair. New coach, new ideas.
“There comes a stage where everyone has to make a decision about the team, so I was happy with that. It was really nice – it was my last year at the club anyway, so I’m really focused on trying to do my best for the club and try to get us to the big games at the end of the season.
Nowell heads to France, having played 173 games for Exeter Chiefs, 46 Tests for his country, while also representing the British and Irish Lions in two Tests on the 2017 New Zealand Tour.
