Exeter Chiefs star Jack Nowell has penned an emotional farewell message to the club and it’s fans on his pending exit from the Devon-based Gallagher Premiership outfit.

Nowell is set to join French high flyers La Rochelle, which dumped the Chiefs out of the Heineken Champions Cup on the weekend. 

The England international joins Luke Cowan-Dickie and Sam and Joe Simmonds in exiting for lucrative contracts in France.

The 30-year-old took to Instagram to thank those who made his time with the Chiefs so special.

“So here we go. Never thought I’d be writing something like this, but I suppose every good thing comes to an end eventually,” Nowell posted on social media.

“Unfortunately, my time at Exeter Chiefs is up, and what a time I’ve had.

“You’ve helped me go from a teenage boy to kinda mature father of three. I’ve met some amazing people and made so many friends. I’ve been lucky enough to have created the most perfect family, who I love very much, so Exeter has a massive space in our hearts.”

“My first thanks has to go to Ricky Pellow and Robin Cowling, without you two none of this would have been possible,” he added. “To all the boys I’ve played with over my 12 years at the club, I love you all. You guys are the guys who have made my time so special and memorable, and I owe you everything.

“Thanks to the boss Tony Rowe for the belief you have always shown in the team, obviously through the good times, but especially the bad times. I feel privileged to have worked with Rob Baxter, Ali Hepher and Rob Hunter for so many years, a lot of our success has been down to their commitment to the make our side the best we can be.

“Obviously the physio team, I’ve worked very with you guys, Jamie Fulton, Steve Haw, Nick Cox, James Parkes, and Bobby Beddard, you lads have put me back together a few times now and allowed me to be my best on the field. Can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done. Every single person at Exeter Chiefs, I would love to name you all, but I’m Cornish, so that’s too much writing for me!”

Earlier in the weekend, Nowell outlined how money and looking after his young family were the tipping points in his decision to leave English rugby.

“Deciding to leave the Chiefs was one of the hardest positions I have ever been in,” said the British & Irish Lion. “But, if I’m honest, during the COVID times, the club decided to look after us and our families, and like we are seeing with every Premiership club, there comes a time when wage does come into it.

“A lot of the other clubs got hit during COVID, and for us as a club, we are being hit now. I have got a growing family, and I have got to put them first at times. That is what made it so hard to leave the Chiefs; how much I love the club, I love the coaches, I love everything about it, but I have got to look after my family.

“My family is growing, and for me, it was my time to take that pay cut. [But] was it the right time for my family [to take a pay cut]? Certainly not.”

“There does come a time for me and my family where we were very keen to experience something else,’ he said. “I am quite an open person. I like to get my family out and experience different things.”