Sale Sharks won't let Luke Cowan-Dickie join rivals without a fight

Sale Sharks boss Alex Sanderson is ready to fight any attempts from Bristol Bears to take England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie back to the West Country this summer and wants to extend his stay.

Truro-born Cowan-Dickie, 32, joined the Sharks in July 2023, after a move to Montpellier, following the 2023 Rugby World Cup, fell through and still has another year left to run on his deal.

Despite wanting to move closer to his family, with his partner and son still based in the Exeter area, where he played 150 games for the Chiefs before moving to the Sharks, Sanderson hopes he can be persuaded to commit to the club.

Cowan-Dickie, a few years ago, was seen as the best hooker in the world before a torrid two-year spell of neck, shoulder, and arm injuries, but he started two of England’s Six Nations games against Scotland and Ireland, and came off the bench in the other three.

He is currently battling a wrist injury that he suffered while scoring two tries in the Investec Champions Cup victory at Harlequins at the start of April, but he could be back before the end of the season, when it’s hoped his future could become clearer.

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“He’s on contract, and we’re in negotiations for furthering that contract. I heard that in the Six Nations (Bristol Bears interest). There’s interest in all our lads who were potentially out of contract the year after next.

“That’s sport as it was with all the Saints players who signed late into this season. So there are a few that are out, not next year, but the year after. That’s all part of the reckoning. Look, and this is kind of personal stuff in it.

“You know, he can either bring them up here or move back down there. That’s part of the decision-making process for him. It’s not been talked about in the conversation we’ve had with him.

“Certainly, things are very positive for us at the moment, and it’s pretty open now, so. I don’t want to speculate on it,” Sanderson told RugbyPass.