Fissler Confidential: Big Cowan-Dickie decision, Glasgow chase Bulls star

England and Lions hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie is set to see out the remaining year of his Sale Sharks contract despite being linked with a return to the West Country.

It has been rumoured that Truro-born Cowan-Dickie, who will be 33 in June, wants to move back to the West Country to be nearer to his family, who are still based in the Exeter area.

Cowan-Dickie joined the Sharks three years ago when a move to France fell through, and he wins his 55th England cap in tomorrow’s Calcutta Cup clash with Scotland at Murrayfield.

Glasgow Warriors are closing in on a deal to lure outside centre David Kriel to Scotland despite him having another year left on his deal with their United Rugby Championship rivals, the Bulls.

Kriel, who also plays at inside centre, is under contract to Johan Ackermann’s side until June 2027 but has activated a break clause that allows him to leave Pretoria at the end of the season.

The Warriors want him to replace Huw Jones, who is off to Toulon this summer, but don’t be surprised if the Bulls make one last attempt to keep him at Loftus Versfeld by offering a contract extension.

Former England under-20 lock Alex Groves wants to come back to the Gallagher Prem when his one-year deal with the Stormers runs out at the end of the season.

Groves, 25, who stands at 6 ft 9 in and has played for Bristol Bears, Hartpury, Sale Sharks and Caldy, was loaned to Scarlets earlier this season and underwent open-heart surgery two years ago to treat a heart condition.

His move to Cape Town hasn’t been a success, however, and he has only made one appearance for the Stormers in the Champions Cup against Harlequins in London in January.

Newcastle Red Bulls are closing in on making Sale Sharks prop James Harper the 17th new player to arrive at Kingston Park ahead of next season as they look to continue their massive spending spree.

The Liverpool-born former England Under-18 would become the second tighthead to join the club after they snapped up former Scotland international Elliot Millar-Mills from Northampton Saints.

Harper, who had loan spells at Caldy, Coventry and Western Sydney, was educated at Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School, Crosby, and joined the Sharks academy from Southport. He has started 10 of the 16 games he has played this season.

Scotland back row Jack Dempsey, who has been linked with a move to clubs in England and France, could be heading to Japan when his contract with Glasgow Warriors runs out this summer.

Sydney-born Dempsey, who plays at No. 8 and blindside flanker, has made 63 appearances for the United Rugby Championship club and has also won 14 Test caps for the Wallabies.

He has scored in both of his last two international appearances against Argentina and Italy. The Warriors are keen to keep him, while he is in talks with at least one Japan Rugby League One side.

Rob Baxter has denied ‘unfounded rumours’ that Bath full-back Tom De Glanville will be heading down the M5 next season after losing Josh Hodge to Newcastle Red Bulls.

Fissler Confidential reported in January that De Glanville was ready to snub the Chiefs before rumours started to swirl that he had signed, but Baxter emphatically shut them down, saying he has got plenty of cover.

“Yeah, there are lots of unfounded rumours out there. We haven’t signed a full-back. It is a potential position, but it’s not kind of a do-or-die situation where we have to sign a full-back scenario,” he told Fissler Confidential.

Brisbane Broncos superstar Payne Haas made front-page headlines in Australia this week when it was announced that he was joining South Sydney Rabbitohs on a three-year deal worth £1.8 million.

The NSW State of Origin enforcer was earmarked as one of R360’s marquee signings on a deal that would have been worth £1.5 million a year, making him one of the best-paid players in the world.

Interestingly, his lucrative new deal has a break clause if mentor Wayne Bennett quits the club when his deal runs out in 2027, a year before R360 is due to start and Papua New Guinea enters the NRL.

Chilean World Cup tighthead Iñaki Gurruchaga has left Pro D2 leaders Vannes, who are bidding for a quick return to the Top 14 without playing a game.

Gurruchaga, 30, who came off the bench against Japan and England in the tournament, has won 19 caps for his country and joined Vannes as a medical joker before Christmas.

Gurruchaga spent four years with Selknam in his homeland and is now expected to return to South America while he ponders his next move.

Former Scotland hooker Fraser Brown could be in line for a move to Edinburgh, with head coach Sean Everitt looking to reshuffle his coaching staff ahead of next season.

Brown told the BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast that the club needed a whole new vision and could be offered a job on the Edinburgh staff, with assistant coaches Rob Chrystie and Michael Todd leaving this summer.

“I think looking for a sticking plaster of a new head coach or a new attack coach, I just don’t think that’s what the club needs. I think it needs a whole new vision and a whole redevelopment plan,” he said.