Jack Nowell's impressive Exeter performances make him a Lions frontrunner, insists Rob Baxter

Nowell faces competition from the likes of Watson, North, Williams and Zebo

Nowell has starred for Exeter since returning to the side (Getty)

Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter has thrust England winger Jack Nowell into Lions contention and insisted that he should be considered a frontrunner for this summer’s tour of New Zealand.

Nowell failed to cross the whitewash himself but played a starring role in Exeter’s 31-19 bonus-point Champions Cup win over Ulster on Sunday as the Chiefs kept their hopes of qualifying for the last eight alive.

The 23-year-old missed England’s autumn internationals after suffering a quad injury in training and has also spent time out following surgery on his thumb.

However, since his return to first-class rugby he has hit the ground running and threw up a brilliant wing battle against former All Black Charles Piutau, who scored two of Ulster’s three tries, at Sandy Park.

“He’s very good, isn’t he?” Baxter said. “I thought Jack was exceptional and he got us momentum every time he got the ball.

“The key for him now is to take this form into the England set-up. Hopefully England will have a very good Six Nations and any player playing well for England will put themselves right in the front seat for the Lions.

“You’d love to have a team with Jack playing like he has been on one wing and Charles Piutau like he did tonight on the other. That would be some back line.

“But I thought a lot of our lads produced good performances, they’re working hard and I’m enjoying what I’m seeing. It’s no surprise to me that we’ve turned up and played well tonight as we’ve beaten some pretty good Premiership teams recently.”

Nowell is expected to go straight back into Eddie Jones’ first XV for the Six Nations with the Australian uncertain on Semesa Rokoduguni and Elliot Daly unlikely to continue on the wing.

Nowell impressed for England last year until his injury problems (Getty)

Anthony Watson, who is likely to feature on the other wing for the Red Rose, is also back from injury and is considered another contender to start for the Lions in New Zealand.

Wales pair George North and Liam Williams are other contenders, along with the likes of Irishman Simon Zebo and even Leigh Halfpenny, who could act as cover on the wing and full-back.

Head coach Warren Gatland will base most of his decisions on the form of the wingers at his disposal during the Six Nations, so Nowell, if he is to make the plane, must continue his impressive performances on the international stage.