England winger Nowell tipped for Lions call

(Reuters) - Exeter winger Jack Nowell's sensational form this season means he should be one of the first names in the British and Irish Lions squad to tour New Zealand this year, according to his club coach Rob Baxter. The 23-year-old Nowell produced another livewire attacking display as Exeter maintained their slim hopes of qualifying for the last eight of the Champions Cup with a 31-19 bonus-point win over Ulster on Sunday. Nowell missed the Autumn internationals due to injury but looks certain to win his 19th England cap in the Six Nations opener against France on Feb. 4. "He's very good, isn't he? I thought Jack was exceptional and he got us momentum every time he got the ball," Baxter told reporters. "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." The Lions travel to New Zealand for a three-test series starting in June when they will bid to beat the All Blacks for the first time since 1971. (Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)