La Rochelle new boy Nowell: Being side to beat is no bad thing

MAVERICK JACK: La Rochelle winger Jack Nowell. Pic: Ben Whitley/PA Wire.

New La Rochelle recruit Jack Nowell believes the enormous twin-star target on the Champions Cup holders’ backs this season is no ‘bad thing’ as they prepare to open their campaign against Leinster.

England international Nowell, who won a Champions Cup winners’ medal with Exeter, started eight of nine Top 14 matches for his new club since swapping England for France at the end of last season. 

He misses out on his debut in the competition with the reigning champions, adding: “After you win any competition and win it twice in a row, you’re obviously the team that everyone wants to beat and wants to go for. That’s obviously down to the success produced over the last couple of years, so I wouldn’t say it’s a bad thing.”

The club’s ambition is, unsurprisingly, to go further, to add a third star as soon as possible — as well as a Bouclier de Brennus.

“With what they have done and produced on the field, in the past couple of years, it’d be disappointing not to try and get that third star as well,” Nowell said. “And the Top 14 as well. Since I’ve joined, it’s been very obvious what the goals are for the season.”

So far, Nowell said, the World-Cup affected Top 14 had not gone entirely to plan. La Rochelle have won four and lost five of their opening nine games, to head into the opening Champions Cup block in ninth place.

“We’re not happy about our performances [so far],” Nowell said. “The World Cup caused a bit of disruption, but that shouldn’t be an excuse with the players that we have. We’ve felt we let ourselves down a little bit. It’s taken us a little bit of time to gel this year and get firing. But it’ll come.

“We don’t finish a game thinking we’ve played really well and we’ve lost it and we’re scratching our heads for things to get better at.

“We know pretty much instantly after a game why we’ve underperformed or why we’ve lost. The good thing about that is we know what we need to work on each week.”

The 30-year-old has found himself in the unusual position of 13 for five of his eight starts for his new club. It’s not a completely new position for him. But it offers different challenges that Nowell has gratefully accepted.

“From the first time I spoke to ROG, I said as long as I’m on the field, I’m happy, I’m not too worried, where I play. With Exeter and with Stade Rochelais, now, it’s not too important what number you have on your back [other than at] set pieces. In terms of phase play, ROG is quite happy for wingers to float anywhere and be anywhere.

“I enjoy playing 13. It’s a different challenge. I tend to get a bit more involved in defence, and I tend to get my hands on the ball a little bit more as well.”

Sunday’s match comes midway through a brutal block of 15 matches in 15 weeks for La Rochelle, which will test the squad.

“With the break for the World Cup, we knew the season was going to be pretty, you know pretty rammed.

“It’s tough. But the reason I’ve come here is obviously to play the best teams, against the best players.

“So I’m happy to be chucked in and to be involved because it doesn’t last forever. I want to make the most of it while I’m doing it now.”

I'm happy to be chucked in and to be involved because it doesn't last forever. I want to make the most of it while I'm doing it now.”