England want to ‘speed up’ Luke Cowan-Dickie’s recovery from ankle surgery

Luke Cowan-Dickie is seeing a specialist on Thursday to evaluate his restoration from ankle surgical procedure, which England need to ‘pace up’ – whereas Exeter are uncertain whether or not he’ll play for them once more.

The Chiefs’ 29-year-old hooker suffered critical harm to the joint throughout a Premiership conflict with Northampton in January and he had an operation which meant he missed the Six Nations. His membership are determined to fast-track his rehab so he could make a comeback earlier than a summer season transfer to Montpellier – and his nation are determined to make sure he’s match for a pre-World Cup coaching camp.

Requested for an replace on Cowan-Dickie’s progress, Exeter’s director of rugby, Rob Baxter, stated: ‘He’s having an evaluation as we speak, which is able to give him some steerage about how the harm is recovering. I believe he is received one other one (evaluation) in a number of weeks’ time. The RFU are additionally investigating varied issues to see if there’s something they will do to hurry up his restoration, as a result of they’re involved World Cup-wise.

‘Every little thing is being poured into it and I really feel a bit sorry for the man as a result of he is like a reside experiment for everyone actually! He is determined to get on with issues as nicely. He’s in a interval of restoration and there is nothing saying definitively right here and now that he will not be match by the top of the season, however there’s additionally nothing saying definitively that he can be.’

Baxter performed down any suggestion that his Lions front-rower’s painstaking rehab programme has stalled – emphasising that it simply requires endurance. ‘The problem in the meanwhile is nerve restoration and for any sort of nerve harm and restoration, that simply takes time,’ he added.

Exeter’s Luke Cowan-Dickie suffered an ankle harm throughout a Premiership conflict in January

England are involved Cowan-Dickie (left) might not be match sufficient to play on the World Cup

‘There are some the place a surgeon or a specialist would possibly say, ‘That is nearly as good as it will get’, however that’s fairly uncommon. Principally, they take a look and say, ‘This has improved for the reason that final time we assessed you, six weeks in the past, so we’re nonetheless on an enchancment curve’. That is the place Luke is in the meanwhile; on an enchancment curve.

‘What has to occur is that that curve needs to be maintained, to get him again to full health. The place that restoration stops will decide the place he finally ends up on his health pathway. So it isn’t essentially a plateau, it is simply that point has to cross.’

There is no such thing as a doubt about Cowan-Dickie’s motivation to return by this troublesome part and play for the Chiefs once more. Baxter painted an image of a participant who’s a bundle of noisy, pent-up power behind the scenes, saying: ‘There’s no person on the membership who desires Luke Cowan-Dickie to be match greater than me, as a result of when he is strolling round, he is an absolute nightmare when he isn’t enjoying! He is unhealthy sufficient when he’s enjoying!

‘Typically, the one factor you’ll be able to hear across the membership is Luke, simply screaming on the physios to maneuver to the following session or get on with this or that, or he’ll seize one of many S&C coaches to work with him. He is sort of a caged lion in the meanwhile, prowling round, attempting to get on with issues.

‘So 100 per cent, if he can get match for us earlier than the top of the season and earlier than the World Cup, he can be flying. There’s each good cause to get him match as a result of he’ll fly into it with absolute abandon. That a part of it’s doubtless.

The 29-year-old could not play for Exeter once more as he’s set to maneuver to Montpellier in the summertime

‘He is not strolling round along with his head down saying, ‘poor me’, it is virtually the opposite manner spherical. If he’s going to get again shortly, it’s that a part of his character which is able to drive him as a lot as the rest.’

Montpellier are the guests at Sandy Park on Sunday for a last-16 encounter with Exeter within the Champions Cup. Sam Simmonds has signed to affix the French title-holders after this season, as has Cowan-Dickie – and Baxter doesn’t anticipate any menace to that transfer regardless of the intense harm which has blighted his remaining season in Devon.

‘Montpellier have not been in contact with us,’ he stated. ‘I do not know the state of his contract with them – I do not know the clauses in it. That is not for us to become involved with. I noticed him this morning. I do know he is seeing a specialist as we speak. I needed him nicely.

‘I do not suppose anybody’s considering the transfer is off. I believe everyone seems to be considering Luke’s going to make a good restoration and he’ll be able to go and he’ll be an excellent participant. That is the over-riding feeling across the membership and we’ve not had any indication that that is going to vary.’