Exeter planning for future without Jack Nowell - Rob Baxter

Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter said the club is making plans without England international Jack Nowell for the next season.

Nowell, who started his career with Redruth and Plymouth Albion made his professional rugby debut with Exeter Chiefs in 2012 and became an integral part of the club since then.

With over 150 games for the Devon club, Nowell enjoyed two Premiership titles and a European Champions Cup triumph in the 2019/20 season. He has now been linked with a move to France at the end of the ongoing campaign when his contract with Exeter ends.

“Yes. I’ve got to plan that he won’t be here. That’s the current situation," said Baxter.

“With Jack, it has been very open in all the conversations. There haven’t been any problems. I am not asking Jack every day what is going on and he is not asking me every day what is going on.

"The agreement we’ve got is that if I find a replacement player who I like the look of, we are going to sign them. He is aware of that. Jack is currently looking in the market of what he wants to look at.

“If he comes back to me pre us signing anybody, we can talk. If he comes back post us signing someone who has replaced him and the salary cap room is not there, then it’s not there. It is a very open scenario.

"I am assuming he is not here and I think he is assuming he’s going. As much as there is no contract been signed – and there is no definitive answer for you – we are moving on. If that answers your question, that’s all I can say.

“If ‘Nowellsy’ turns around to me, walks up and says ‘go on then Rob, let’s sit down and try and get a contract’, then I would be delighted.”