Jack Nowell in race to be fit for Rugby World Cup after undergoing ankle surgery following Premiership final injury

England and Exeter Chiefs wing Jack Nowell has undergone surgery in his ankle to repair the damage he suffered in the Premiership final, leaving him in a race to be fit for Rugby World Cup later this year.

The 26-year-old suffered a nasty-looking injury when he was folded back over his own leg by Saracens wing Sean Maitland in a legal challenge, resulting in the Exeter full-back suffering an injury to his right ankle.

Nowell also underwent scans on his knee amid fears he had damaged ligaments or suffered a leg break, but after they came back negative the decision was taken for him to undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair his ankle after returning from holiday.

The sight of Nowell leaving the Twickenham pitch in tears during Exeter’s narrow 37-34 final defeat at the start of the month immediately raised fears for his World Cup hopes, particularly as he was one of the best players on the day across both sides.

But Exeter’s director of rugby Rob Baxter has said that they do not expect his participation in Japan to be in jeopardy, should Eddie Jones select him in his 31-man squad, though there is no strict timescale on his return or clarification of what Nowell has done.

“Jack’s had an operation on his ankle and at this stage we see no reason why it should jeopardise him being involved with England at the Rugby World Cup nor with us heading into the new season,” Baxter said.

However, it’s understood that Nowell could take as long as three months to recover, which would see him miss all of England’s four World Cup warm-up matches that end on 6 September.

While Nowell featured at full-back for Exeter, Jones has largely used him as a wing for the national team in competition with Jonny May, Joe Cokanasiga and until he was moved to full-back, Elliot Daly. However, Daly’s unconvincing performances under the high ball and Anthony Watson’s long-term injury last season has led to the prospect of Nowell starting at full-back arising, with his performance in the Premiership doing plenty to strengthen that argument, and regardless of his position Jones will be desperate to have one of his most consistent utility players available in Japan.

Nowell has won 24 of his 33 England caps in the starting line-up, scoring his 13th international try last time out against Scotland in their 38-38 Six Nations finale, and he also made two appearances on the British and Irish Lions tour in 2017 as a replacement in the second and third Tests. He was selected by former England head coach Stuart Lancaster for the last Rugby World Cup in 2015, but was limited to a single appearance against Uruguay when England’s pool stage elimination had already been confirmed, scoring a hat-trick in the landslide 60-3 victory.