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Six NationsEnglandExeter ChiefsFrancePortugalLuke Cowan-Dickie

Luke Cowan-Dickie leaves England's Portugal training base

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Luke Cowan-Dickie could miss England’s Guinness Six Nations opener against France on Sunday after returning home from the squad’s Portugal training base for family reasons.

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Cowan-Dickie, Eddie Jones’ second-choice hooker behind Jamie George, departed the Algarve on Tuesday night.

If he is unable to rejoin England in time for Friday’s team announcement, Bath front row Tom Dunn will be given the chance to make his debut off the bench in Paris with Jack Singleton on standby to be called up as cover.

“Luke has returned home for family reasons. We’ve got plans in place just in case he cannot return,” defence coach John Mitchell said.

“We’re hopeful he’ll be back but family comes first so it’s more important to respect the position he’s in. But we’ve got plans in place to cope.”

(Continue reading below…)

The team captains were out in force at the Guinness 2020 Six Nations launch

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Mako Vunipola missed training on Wednesday as a precautionary measure after sustaining a knock to the eye 24 hours earlier but is expected to feature against France. England play their first match since being crushed 32-12 by South Africa in last autumn’s World Cup final – the disappointing climax to an otherwise superb tournament.

They enter the Six Nations as clear favourites and Mitchell, Jones’ number two, insists there is more to come from a team that routed New Zealand in glorious fashion in the semi-finals before crumbling against the Springboks.

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“I’m more disappointed for the lads because you understand how much they put into it. But we’re in the Six Nations now and we have a choice around our mindset,” Mitchell said. “There’s a lot more to come from us. We’re looking for little gains and to build a side that can cope with anything chucked at it.

“The game is demanding a lot of change very quickly, so it’s about our ability to adapt to those situations quickly. The game is getting quicker and we’re very much in a defence cycle and that’s presenting attack with a really big challenge of finding ways to open up defences.”

– Press Association 

WATCH: The Rugby Pod sets the scene ahead of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations and reflects on yet more Saracens fallout  

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Comments on RugbyPass

J
Joseph Herman 7 minutes ago
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Tommy B. 36 minutes ago
As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

Yeah, about that.

He brought on a promising chap called Courtenay Lawes off the bench to replace him if memory serves.

192 Go to comments
N
NB 43 minutes ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

He ain’t that slow, and when he gets hold of you, you don’t get off the hook!

14 Go to comments
N
NB 44 minutes ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Even the ex-props cannot be certain in real time! We ran a few experiments….


For pens, stick to flagrant and dangerous play like collapses, otherwise make the feeding side use the ball.

14 Go to comments
N
NB 46 minutes ago
As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

I told him that before he took over and he didn’t believe he couldn’t find a 7 in the Prem! How long did Harrison last in that Test v Aussie? 30 minutes or so!

192 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 49 minutes ago
Leo Cullen 'completely, 100 per cent' understands Leinster fan frustration

Indeed. As grimly predictable as ‘morning glory.’

21 Go to comments
N
NB 50 minutes ago
As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

Cards are not accidents, they are the result of pressure exerted. The ABs could not handle that pressure, and something [more than one thing] broke.


If you take away the GKing, I would take at least four other FBs ahead of Ramos right now. Even Buros from UBB is better.

192 Go to comments
N
NB 52 minutes ago
As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

They’ll rest whoever they see fit in the final analysis.

192 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 55 minutes ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Yeah, joking aside it should be blown by specialists. Or at the very least get all test ref’s up to speed by speaking to a few ex-props.


I think it should be a separate 30 second scrum clock. Don’t stop the game clock.

30 seconds to set, engage, throw it in and get it out. No re-sets. One shot.


You don’t want props to feel left out and you don’t want it to go the way of rugby league, scrums are no longer useful if they can’t be ref’d properly.

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P
PB 1 hour ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Hee hee, yeah he is the heaviest lock around, but honestly the best is an absolute stretch. RG Snyman isn’t alot lighter and offers way more athleticism. There are actually quite a few powerful locks that offer more than the slower than treacle Skelton, hence why he never really makes much impact vs the top tier test teams

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N
NB 1 hour ago
As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

It won’t make any diff to the number of Toulouse players withdrawn from the tour of NZ though.

192 Go to comments
N
NB 1 hour ago
As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

😲🤣

192 Go to comments
N
NB 1 hour ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

I would suggest something more radical. We don’t want tech pens for perceived indiscretions and we don’t want reset scrums taking any time [at all] off the game clock.


I’d prefer the scrum to be under rather than over-reffed as you’re suggesting - mostly by ppl who don’t really know what’s happening. If there is doubt, let the scrum play out!

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T
Tommy B. 1 hour ago
As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

I was thinking exactly that as I put the list together.


In fact, it’s more recent than 2012. I remember Eddie lamenting the ‘Six and a halves’ he had going into the 2016 England tour of Oz. He went with Robshaw and Haskell, and then Temaina Harrison at ‘7’ in the last test because Haskell was injured.

192 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 1 hour ago
As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

Has Ramos surpassed Will Jordan? You mean now that Ramos has reverted back to 15, a position Will Jordan is still growing into at test level? Ramos was covering 10 last year while N’tmack was still out.


Wasn’t that the same dream team that had Lomax in it, lol?!


Based on recent form. A storming 6N and an undefeated Nov series. I’m still not seeing an argument for a better current backline than Ramos, Penaud, LBB.

192 Go to comments
t
tf 1 hour ago
'What he’s given to this club is nothing short of incredible'

Perhaps he's been on borrowed time but he didnt pick himself. And there have still been some remarkable performances.


And even now nobody is sure who'll take his spot in the 23. Especially with Conan if not over the hill, beyond the top.

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N
NB 1 hour ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Good one😅

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I
IkeaBoy 1 hour ago
As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

I watched the (warm-up) game were the Boks led 14-0 on the back of a try created by one up runners and an intercept. AB’s had a player in the bin during this time.


Then around 39 mins it’s a red card. In the second half they score 3 lineout maul tries exposing the player advantage. Two in the corner and Kwagga splitting off the back to go close to the posts.


Ramos? Who’s a better test level 15 at the moment? Do Bielle-Biarrey’s 8 TRIES in this years 6N merely count as great?

192 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 1 hour ago
As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

We could always discuss your team, Edward?


Do you even have one? Too afraid to join in?

192 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 1 hour ago
As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

Galthie remarked about 20 protected players but that was last summer.


The agreement with the league was signed months after in October last year. It’s only stipulation is around resting finalists.

192 Go to comments
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