He is the first British & Irish Lion called up from Exeter Chiefs, he will be the solitary Cornishman on the tour to New Zealand and will surely be the first fisherman’s son to wear the fabled red jersey but at least Jack Nowell will not be alone when it comes to his favourite hobby.
He and George North, another self-confessed fanatic, may either be working in tandem on each flank or battling it out for a place on the wing against the All Blacks but not before sharing a few tips on building their Lego sets. “We will have to get the same box sets, maybe, because I don’t like sharing,” says Nowell. “He will probably be the same – you can’t share a programme, or you won’t know what you’ve done, or what you’re doing [next].
“I’ve loved Lego since I was a kid – that came out during the Six Nations. I build maybe two or three things each [England] camp and I’m hoping there will be a bit of spare room in my suitcase to take down a few boxes. I’ve got a whole Simpsons house to be built, but that’s going to be too big. I’ve got a nice little VW Beetle to go with the VW campervan I made in the Six Nations. It’s helped me through injuries in the past, and I stick to that.”
It quickly becomes clear Nowell is not your average tourist, but it is heartening to see that selecting players from all corners of the British Isles is still going strong. He is not the first from Cornwall but he breaks the mould of hard-edged front-rows such as Phil Vickery and Stack Stevens. “There’s a few bigger men have done it, a lot bigger than I am,” says Nowell.
“We’re a proud county of rugby down there and sometimes [Cornish] players have not been recognised for what they do or what they can do. To be picked and follow those guys is pretty awesome. When we went out to Australia with England last summer, there were a few Cornish flags then so it will be very nice to see a few out there.”
Nowell’s Lions selection was not considered a surprise but he was in and out of the England side during the Six Nations and returned to Sandy Park with the fuel reserve light beginning to flash.
After a few honest words from Rob Baxter, however, the 24-year-old does not believe end-of-season fatigue will be a problem. “I was a bit tired, even if you don’t feel it but mentally after the Six Nations it does take a toll on you,” he says. “The type of player I am if a coach asks me do you want to play, I will always say I want to play. Rob took me to one side and said that we are going to give you a rest, go back home to see your family. I came back feeling a lot fresher for it and I was ready to go.”
Nowell is among the members of the Lions squad who have never faced New Zealand at senior level – a step into the unknown but without any previous scars of defeat. The All Blacks are experiencing their fair share of injury problems – the full-back Ben Smith among them – but Nowell is still expecting a challenge like no other. “The depth of their squad is massive,” he says. “No matter who they pick or who they bring in, it’s going to be a test and a massive effort from all of us to try and beat them. They’re the No1 team in the world at the moment. They’re the team that everyone wants to beat.”
