England winger Nowell ditches drink to boost his Six Nations chances

Jack Nowell has been on a dry run back into the England squad and the lighter, sharper, fitter Exeter wing is ready to re-launch his Test career in the Six Nations.

The 28-year-old has not played for his country since a cruelly-abbreviated role in the epic 2019 World Cup campaign led him into a prolonged sequence of 'mini-nightmares'. But Nowell has come out the other side, by turning down caps in the summer and autumn, to make sure he was absolutely right and ready for national service again.

With greater maturity and the perspective brought by fatherhood, there has been an outbreak of shrewd decision-making from a player whose desperation to rush previous injury comebacks has come at a heavy cost. One smart move has been giving up alcohol, but it has not been easy for the proud owner of the Swordfish Inn — a pub in Newlyn, Cornwall.

'It's bloody hard sometimes,' Nowell tells Sportsmail. 'You know what we're like down here at Exeter! That decision came after we played Leicester away in the first game of the season. We lost the game, got on the bus and Rob (Baxter, Exeter's director of rugby) said, 'Look, it was a tough game. A couple of beers on the way home isn't going to harm you. Get together, enjoy a few beers and get home'.

'I did that, but I probably enjoyed one too many. I went out in Exeter, thinking I was still 18 and by the time Monday came round for training, I was probably just getting over my hangover. I was dehydrated and hadn't eaten very well on the Sunday.

'On the Wednesday, I had a slight hamstring tear. I thought, 'Right, if I'm changing my training, I can't be expecting to go out drinking and then train the same'.

'I still go out with the lads, but I stick to the soda water so on Sunday I'm able to