Jack Nowell received his membership profession in France underway on Thursday night, debuting for La Rochelle in a pre-season pleasant versus Bordeaux in Dax. The England winger determined on the finish of the 2022/23 marketing campaign with Exeter that he wouldn’t be staying in England for the summer time to compete for a spot in his nation’s Rugby World Cup squad.

The 30-year-old was final capped when Eddie Jones was in cost for the 2022 Autumn Nations Sequence and having since signed a deal to change to the High 14 for the 2023/24 season, Nowell felt it finest that he arrived in France in time to do the total pre-season at his new membership and get his spouse and younger household settled into their new environment fairly than prepare with Steve Borthwick’s England.

Nowell’s resolution to summer time in France was rewarded with a debut win for his new membership, La Rochelle defeating High 14 rivals Bordeaux 26-15 in a match the place the ex-England winger unusually lined out from the beginning at exterior centre within the No13 shirt.

Steve Borthwick reveals why he has chosen the gamers which are going to the 2023 RWC

Steve Borthwick reveals why he has chosen the gamers which are going to the 2023 RWC

The reigning Heineken Champions Cup holders, who comfortably defeated Nowell’s Exeter within the semi-finals final April earlier than dramatically beating Leinster within the following month’s closing, was in an XV that noticed Ihaia West and Tawera Kerr-Barlow renew their half-back partnership following West’s return to the membership after a single season at Problem Cup winners Toulon.

La Rochelle tweeted a post-game image of Nowell taking part in in his new membership colors and he quickly replied: “Felt good that.”

Felt good that!!?? https://t.co/xojFASjy9q

— Jack Nowell (@nowellsy15) August 11, 2023

It was in Could, simply a few days after it emerged that Nowell advised England he was unavailable for RWC coaching squad choice, that he defined to RugbyPass his causes for shifting to France in time for La Rochelle’s pre-season earlier than their High 14 marketing campaign begins away to Montpellier on August 20.

“Don’t get me unsuitable, it was a tough resolution. Initially, I used to be going to be named within the provisional (England) squad, which goes to return out quickly, however the response has been very constructive.

“It is a resolution I haven’t simply made during the last couple of weeks, it was most likely months and months in the past now that I made the choice, so I’ve really had a very long time to consider it and to dwell on it and I’m sticking by it. It’s the finest resolution I may have made for the household.

“It’s exhausting shifting, very exhausting. If it was simply me and my spouse, it might be loads simpler however the truth that we have now received three youngsters and one among them being a new-born does make it a little bit bit tougher. The very first thing I wish to make sure that of is they’re blissful and settled. It’s not simply as simple as packing a few luggage and off you go.

“I would like to verify we have now received an appropriate home for them, I would like to verify we have now an honest automobile, that we’re in a pleasant space after which we have now additionally received to type colleges and stuff like that.

“As a lot within the background I’m making an attempt to get myself prepared and get my physique prepared, I’d say the vast majority of my ideas in the intervening time is ensuring that they get settled as shortly as doable.”