Luke out to show his worth

By Mark Stevens

With 100 days to go until the start of Rugby World Cup 2015, Exeter Chiefs forward Luke Cowan-Dickie is hoping he can show the England selectors that he can 'offer something different' as they edge ever closer to confirming their 31-man squad.

Cowan-Dickie is one of three current Chiefs to have been included in Stuart Lancaster's 50-strong training squad ahead of the tournament, which kicks-off with England playing host to Fiji at Twickenham on Friday, September 18.

Alongside club-mates Jack Nowell and Henry Slade, Cowan-Dickie hopes to use the upcoming training camp as the ideal opportunity to get himself into the mindset of Lancaster and his fellow coaches.

Certainly the Cornishman - along with Slade - did their chances no harm as they both featured prominently during England's recent 73-12 thrashing of the Barbarians at Twickenham.

Hooker Cowan-Dickie offered try-scoring passes for both winger Marland Yarde and Slade in that fixture, which also saw fellow Chiefs Will Chudley and Thomas Waldrom also feature, the latter for the world famous representative side.



However, it's the upcoming camp and the work behind the scenes that is uppermost in the mind of Cowan-Dickie, who will be vying for one of the hooker spots alongside the likes of Tom Youngs of Leicester Tigers, Rob Webber (Bath) and Jamie George (Saracens).

Speaking in the Sunday Independent, the 21-year-old said: "Speaking to the coaches, I have just got to show them what I have got, especially with the set-piece, which is key going into these international games, and how I am slightly different [to the other hookers]."

A product of the Exeter's highly successful Academy set-up, Cowan-Dickie has really come of age over the past two seasons, forging himself as a player to watch within the Chiefs pack.

Although a knee injury curtailed part of last season for the former Truro College student, he was still able to figure 19 times for Rob Baxter's side, scoring two tries in the process.

Now back firing on all cylinders, Cowan-Dickie says getting the chance to showcase his talents on the Twickenham turf against the Baa-Baas and to be part of the England set-up was key, particularly as Northampton Saints hooker Dylan Hartley has recent been dropped from Lancaster's World Cup plans because on on-field discipline issues.

"When I was informed I was in it, I didn't really know what to do with myself," explained Cowan-Dickie. "There were a few days of 'did I actually get the call?' - but to be there now is really good.

"Dylan is obviously going to be the most disappointed guy. He's a very good player and he definitely does play on the line, which I really like. A few decisions obviously didn't go his way, which is upsetting for him, but I have just got to concentrate on what I am doing now.

"It doesn't really change much how I am going to train and how I am going to conduct myself during the coming weeks. I am still going to try and do the same stuff, so it doesn't really affect me personally."