Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'He's basically going around giving stick to every injured player'

(Photo by Dan Mullan/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Luke Cowan-Dickie was forced to miss the Autumn Nations Series with England due to a significant ankle ligament injury, but Exeter boss Rob Baxter has reported that his hooker is now back and firing at his best following his inclusion in the 36-strong national team squad that will assemble in Brighton next Monday for a week’s training. 

ADVERTISEMENT

The injury arrived at an unfortunate time for the 28-year-old. Having played second fiddle to Jamie George for numerous years, he claimed the No2 England shirt on merit during the 2021 Six Nations and he went on to eclipse his fellow Englishman when they pair subsequently toured South Africa with the Lions.   

With George then omitted from the original England squad for the Six Nations, the way was clear for Cowan-Dickie to consolidate his newfound status as the first-choice hooker. However, injury with Exeter in the Gallagher Premiership resulted in him having to pull out, a development that allowed George to get a recall and go on to start the games versus Tonga and Australia.   

Video Spacer

Rob Kearney and Alfie Barbeary – a Lion and Wasp

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 56:48
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 56:48
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    Rob Kearney and Alfie Barbeary – a Lion and Wasp

    Cowan-Dickie, though, put his layoff to positive use at the Chiefs and Rob Baxter this week enthused about the attitude of a player whose vibrant energy came in handy in helping Exeter to overcome some early-season inconsistencies and enjoy some welcome good form in recent weeks.

    “He is flat out again now,” reported Baxter regarding Cowan-Dickie, the Exeter forward who is one of three hookers in the latest England squad alongside George and Jamie Blamire, who took the starting short for the series-ending finale versus South Africa in November.  

    “He actually used his injury period to restrengthen a few things. He lost a little body fat, gained a little bit of muscularity which is harder to do when you are playing, so he looks in great physical shape. He has certainly recharged his energy and emotional batteries and he looks like a really interesting character. When he is injured in the last two, three weeks of his rehab he is basically going around giving stick to every injured player telling them why aren’t they on the pitch playing because has got a proper injury and they are just dragging it out and they have just got a sore toe or something like that.

    “He is actually quite a good person walking around the changing room telling people to get on the pitch and train because if he wasn’t injured he would be. And sometimes those kinds of things, you start to feel restless energy from him at the end stage of any injury rehab and that means he is virtually nearly always ready to go. 

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “Within a week of being declared fit and in full training he is pretty much banging down the door asking me why is he not being picked and why wasn’t he picked two weeks ago. He even walks past in a plaster cast sometimes thinking I’ll be available this week if I can get this taken off on Wednesday. That is how he is and that kind of vibrant energy is what you want around a rugby club. It brings everybody through and that is the thing he just adds around the place.”

    One thing that England boss successfully did for the autumn was to bolster the senior leadership group around skipper Owen Farrell. Courtney Lawes, who wound up being the matchday skipper in Farrell’s absence against Tonga and South Africa, Ellis Genge and Tom Curry were chosen as vice-captains and but for his injury, Cowan-Dickie would have been included in this select group who set the standards during camp.   

    That, reckoned Baxter, would have been a just reward for Exeter front-rower Cowan-Dickie in “rounding off the package” of what he brings to a squad. “There is a lot of things about it that just make it [leadership] quite natural for him. He is actually quite a natural leader in a lot of ways around the club for years and has been in certain elements. 

    “But what you are seeing is it is becoming more across the board. The whole thing about leading a group to see things in a certain way, moving forward now that environment needs to be created in training as well and across other elements that are outside the game because one thing you can always say about Luke is he has always been a match-animal, it has always been about the game and his performance levels have never wavered in a game. 

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “His full-blooded commitment in every single game has never wavered. He would admit himself he has not always been the archetypal professional off the field in giving himself the best chance to be the absolute best player he can on the field and those are just some of the things that just evened out as he matured as a player and become more experienced, and that is what has started to round him off as more of a leader. 

    “He has still got that natural, aggressive leadership, ‘C’mon, we are going to go out there to fight for this’ type element about him as well, but if you want to lead like that then you have got to set examples in other things that you do as well. That is what he has got, he is just rounding off the package.” 

    ADVERTISEMENT

    O2 Inside Line: All In | Episode 5 | Making Waves

    Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

    Tackling reasons for drop-out in sport | Zainab Alema | Rugby Rising Locker Room

    Krakow | Leg 3 | Day 2 | HSBC Challenger Series | Full Day Replay

    Kubota Spears vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

    Jet Lag: The biggest challenge facing international sports? | The Report

    Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

    Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry? | New Zealand & Australia | Sevens Wonders | Episode 5

    Trending on RugbyPass

    Comments

    0 Comments
    Be the first to comment...

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Features

    Comments on RugbyPass

    E
    Eliza Galloway 51 minutes ago
    Geoff Parling: An Englishman roasting the Lions?

    Email: prowizardgilbertrecovery(@)  engineer.comWhatsApp: +1 (920) 408‑1234Telegram: https://t.me/Pro_Wizard_Gilbert_RecoveryI never imagined I’d become a victim of a scam—especially in the fast-moving world of cryptocurrency. When I was offered a chance to appear on a popular crypto podcast, I was excited. It seemed like a golden opportunity to gain exposure, connect with industry professionals, and build credibility within the crypto community. The podcast appeared legitimate, complete with a sleek website, professional branding, glowing testimonials, and an active social media presence.After a few exchanges with the supposed host, I was asked to pay $9,500 to secure my spot on the show. Trusting the apparent professionalism of the platform, I went ahead with the payment. I envisioned the new doors this would open—partnerships, recognition, and new opportunities. But everything changed once the payment was made.Suddenly, all communication stopped. My emails and messages went unanswered. The podcast’s website vanished, and so did their social media presence. That’s when reality hit—I had been scammed.I was devastated. Angry, embarrassed, and desperate to find a solution, I began searching for help. That’s when I discovered PRO WIZARD GILBERT RECOVERY. At first, I was skeptical, but with nothing left to lose, I decided to reach out.To my surprise, their team responded quickly and took my case seriously. Using advanced investigative tools and digital tracking techniques, they began tracing the scammer’s digital footprint. I watched as they worked tirelessly, putting the pieces together.Amazingly, PRO WIZARD GILBERT RECOVERY was able to recover 95% of my lost funds. The relief I felt was indescribable. Not only did I get back most of what I lost, but I also walked away with a hard-earned lesson about the importance of due diligence and caution in the digital world.While I wish I had never fallen into the trap, I’m incredibly thankful for the support and professionalism of PRO WIZARD GILBERT RECOVERY. They didn’t just recover my money—they helped restore my peace of mind. I’m sharing my story in hopes that it helps others avoid the same mistake and encourages them to stay vigilant in the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrency.

    44 Go to comments
    J
    JW 1 hour ago
    James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

    Lol you need to shoot your editor for that headline, even I near skipped the article.


    France simply need to go to a league format for the Brennus, that will shave two weekends of pointless knockout rugby from their season and raise the competitions standards and mystique no end.


    The under age loophole is also a easy door to shut, just remove the lower age limit. WR simply never envisioned a day were teams would target people under the age of 17 or whatever it is now, but much like with Rassie and his use of subs bench, that day was obviously always going to come. I can’t remember how football does it, I think it’s the other way around with them, you can’t sign anyone younger than that but unions can’t stop 17 or 18 yo’s from leaving for a pro club if they want to. There is a transaction that takes place of a few hundred thousand for a normal average player. I’d prefer rugby to be stricter and just keep the union bodies signoff being required.


    What really was their problem with Kite and co leaving though? Do we really need a game dominated by Internationals? I even think WR’s proposed calendar might be a bit too much, with at minimum 12 top tier games being played in the World Championship. I think 10 to 12, maybe any one player playing 10 of those 12 is the best way to think of it, for every international team is max, so that they can allow their domestic comps to shine if they want, and other nations like Japan and Fiji can, even some of the home nations maybe, and fill out their calendar with extra tours if they like them as a way to make money. As it is RA don’t have as good a pathway system, so they could simply buy back those players if they turn good. Are they worried they’ll be less likely to? We wait for baited breath for the new season to be laid out in front of us by WR.

    It could impose sanctions on the Fédération Française de Rugby, but the body which runs the Top 14 and the ProD2, the Ligue Nationale de Rugby, is entirely independent.

    It’s not independent at all. The LNR is a body under, and commissioned by, the FFR (and Government control) to mediate the clubs. FFR can simply install a new club competition if they don’t listen, then you’d see whether the players want to stay at any club who doesn’t tow the line and move to the new competition, as they obviously wouldn’t fall under the auspice of world rugby. They would be rebels, which is fine in and upon itself, but they would isolate themselves from the rest of the game and would need to be OK with that. I have no doubt whatsoever that clubs would have to and want to fall in line to remain part of the EPCR and French rugby. Probably even the last thing they would want is to compete with another French domestic competition that has all the advantages they don’t.


    All those players would do good for a few seasons in France, especially the fringe ones, with thankfully zero risk of them being poached if they turn good. New Zealand had a turn at keeping all of it’s talent, and while it upticked the competitiveness of the Super Rugby teams into a total dominance of Australian and South African counterparts (who were suffering more heavily than most the other way at that stage), it didn’t have as positive an effect on the next step up as ensuring young talents development is not hindered does. Essentially NZR flooded the locate market with players but inevitably it didn’t think the local economy could sustain any more pro teams itself, so now we are seeing a normal amount of exodus for the availability of places again. Are Australia in exactly the same footing? I think so, finances where dicey for a while perhaps but I doubt they are putting money constraints on their contracting now. It’s purely about who leaves to open up opportunity.

    62 Go to comments
    LONG READ
    LONG READ How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock
    Search