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England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie's club future appears done
By Neil Fissler
England and Lions hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie has signed a new deal that will keep him at Sale Sharks for the next two years after turning down offers from the Premiership and France.
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Truro-born Cowan-Dickie, 31, has rediscovered the form this season that, four years ago, made him the best hooker in the world before a torrid two-year spell of neck, shoulder, and arm injuries.
The former Exeter Chiefs star, who won two Premiership titles and the Champions Cup during his time at Sandy Park, has become Steve Borthwick’s choice in the middle of the front row after starting four of England’s five Six Nations games.
The 2019 World Cup runner-up has scored six tries in 13 games for Alex Sanderson’s team this season, which helped attract interest from his former club, the Chiefs, and Top 14 outfit Lyon.
But Cowan-Dickie has opted to stay at the Sharks, whom he joined in July 2023 after making more than 150 appearances for Rob Baxter’s side.
He signed on an initial one-year deal after a move to Montpellier fell through, then extended it by a year last March when a double deal involving him and Jonny Hill to Lyon was called off.
Cowan-Dickie admitted he felt he owed the Sharks, who travel to Toulouse in the Champions Cup this weekend, a huge debt for taking a chance on him.
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“I feel I owe the club because they took a shot on me and then looked after me when I was injured. I don’t feel like I’ve performed as well as I can yet in a Sale shirt, so I’m determined to show everyone what I can do.
“I’d been at Exeter for such a long time, and moving to a new club and a new city was a worry. I didn’t think I’d fit in as well somewhere new, but I feel like I’ve had a new lease of life. Training weeks are great, and I’ve loved it,” he said.
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