Luke Cowan-Dickie: England comeback '10 times better'

Now that a torrid two-year spell of neck, shoulder, and arm injuries is behind him, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie is relishing being back in the thick of international rugby.

The Sale hooker has just entered his 10th year as a Test player, having made his debut in a World Cup warm-up match against France in August 2015.

In close to a decade of national service, the Truro-born warrior has won 45 caps, 33 of them as a replacement, and would have had a lot more had it not been for two years in exile between November 2022 and 2024.

Luke Cowan-Dickie on Six Nations return ~ O2 Inside Line | RPTV

Luke Cowan-Dickie speaks about his first start in the Six Nations in three years. Watch O2 Inside Line: This Rose on RugbyPass TV now

Watch now

Luke Cowan-Dickie on Six Nations return ~ O2 Inside Line | RPTV

Luke Cowan-Dickie speaks about his first start in the Six Nations in three years. Watch O2 Inside Line: This Rose on RugbyPass TV now

Watch now

Last week’s defeat to Ireland was his first Six Nations start since the 23-19 win against Wales at Twickenham in February 2022. And in an interview in episode two of O2 Inside Line: This Rose, the Cornishman says how he regards this as his ‘second chance’ in an England jersey.

“You never take this for granted. You never actually take it for what it is when you are first involved; the first time I was involved I obviously loved every minute of it, and I thought I cherished it, I thought it was everything. But being out, to coming back in, this time around it was 10 times better.

“Maybe in the back of my mind, I wasn’t maybe going as hard as I should have, whereas this time around it is my second chance effectively so I am buzzing about it.”

Cowan-Dickie added: “Obviously, injury-wise your career can be over like this (clicks fingers) so I am just taking each day, being happy to be here and now I am slightly older, maybe being a grumpy old man in the midst of this place.

“But, yeah, I try and be happy each day, I try and enjoy it and grab it with both hands no matter how hard or how easy it is.”

Sadly, a foot injury has prevented Cadan Murley from building on his try-scoring debut in Dublin, but as well hearing from Cowan-Dickie you can watch the newly-capped Harlequins winger show off his singing skills in the latest episode with a rendition of a Taylor Swift song.

O2 Inside Line: This Rose takes you behind the scenes with the England team. View now on the new RugbyPass App.