Luke Cowan-Dickie set to be handed a contract lifeline as Sale trace at curiosity within the England hooker together with his transfer to Montpellier unlikely to occur right down to issues over his damage document and boozy evening out
- Exeter’s Luke Cowan-Dickie could possibly be handed a contract at Sale for subsequent season
- Sale’s Alex Sanderson has hinted that he’d be attention-grabbing in signing hooker
- Cowan-Dickie’s transfer to Marseille seems to be off as membership have damage issues
Premiership semi-finalists Sale are able to step in and hand Luke Cowan-Dickie a possible contract lifeline with the England hooker’s scheduled transfer to Montpellier now all however over.
Cowan-Dickie, a British Lion in 2021, had agreed to affix the TOP14 champions from Exeter for the beginning of subsequent season and after this yr’s World Cup.
However a mix of damage issues and the 31-year-old’s boozy evening out within the French metropolis final month imply that deal is unlikely to occur.
Cowan-Dickie spent an evening in a Montpellier police cell in April when visiting what was set to be his new membership and was ‘the topic of a process for manifest and public drunkenness.’
Montpellier even have issues over Cowan-Dickie’s ongoing neck and knee accidents which have put his England World Cup participation doubtful.
Exeter’s Luke Cowan-Dickie could possibly be handed a contract with Sale forward of subsequent season
Sale’s director of rugby Alex Sanderson has declared an curiosity in signing Cowan-Dickie
No-nonsense Montpellier boss Philippe Saint-Andre is now set to tug out of the deal and transfer for Australia hooker Tolu Latu – who had been a goal for Sale – as an alternative.
Requested if his facet could be serious about Cowan-Dickie, who has 43 England caps, Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson stated: ‘Why wouldn’t you? He’s a fantastic participant.
‘I don’t know if we’d be in the proper worth level however he’s acquired mates up right here as properly. He suits our sport mannequin.
‘He’s a banger. He ticks plenty of containers on these fronts however I haven’t spoken to him.’
Sale, who host Leicester on Sunday for a spot within the Premiership remaining, have misplaced back-up hooker Ewan Ashman to Edinburgh for subsequent season so have a spot to fill.
Sanderson appeared to inadvertently affirm Cowan-Dickie’s Montpellier transfer is over when requested about Latu.
‘I’ve heard he’s been signed for twice the amount of cash we supplied him,’ he stated. Montpellier have proven their ruthless edge with Cowan-Dickie and it’s understood the participant’s health issues – quite than his evening within the ‘drunk tank’ – is the principle motive for them pulling out of the deal.
The fact, although, is that the comb with French police will hardly have helped.
Along with a doable transfer for Cowan-Dickie, MailSport understands Sale are additionally set to signal former Leicester and present Stade Francais again Telusa Veainu.
The enigmatic Saint-Andre has additionally cancelled former England prop Henry Thomas’ Montpellier contract after his shock call-up for Wales’ prolonged World Cup coaching squad.
No-nonsense Montpellier boss Philippe Saint-Andre is about to tug out of deal for Cowan-Dickie
Thomas has been informed he should now go away the French facet on the finish of the season as a result of a possible Welsh World Cup name would imply he couldn’t play for Montpellier at the beginning of the 2023/24 marketing campaign.
Elsewhere, Northampton are in negotiations with the Royal Navy concerning the availability of hooker Sam Matavesi for his or her play-off at title favourites Saracens on Saturday.
Fiji worldwide Matavesi has taken possession of the membership’s No 2 shirt however the semi-final clashes with the annual Military-Navy fixture.
Matavesi is a serving member of the Navy and there’s a precedent for contracted gamers to overlook massive video games for membership and nation to symbolize the Armed Forces.
Final month, England hooker Amy Cokayne missed her workforce’s Girls’s Six Nations conflict with Wales to symbolize the Royal Air Drive.
Northampton coach Sam Vesty stated of Matavesi: ‘Negotiations are ongoing.’
