Luke Cowan-Dickie: Sale Sharks sign England hooker as 30-year-old ends 13-year stay at Exeter Chiefs

Sale Sharks have signed England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie from Exeter Chiefs.

Cowan-Dickie joins Sale less than a week after being left out of England’s World Cup plans due to a shoulder injury.

Premiership runners-up Sale sign Cowan-Dickie from Exeter, where the hooker won two Premiership titles and one European Cup during a 13-year stay at Sandy Park.

Cowan-Dickie had previously agreed to join French giants Montpellier but the move collapsed.

His former Chiefs team-mates Sam Simmonds and prop Harry Williams will complete moves to Montpellier later this summer.

Cowan-Dickie follows winger Tom O’Flaherty and England lock Jonny Hill in swapping Sandy Park for the AJ Bell Stadium.

Sale were left with a hooker vacancy by Ewan Ashman’s decision to join Edinburgh, while popular South African Akker van der Merwe is heading for the Bulls in Pretoria.

Of Cowan-Dickie’s absence from the World Cup, England head coach Steve Borthwick said: “Despite all his incredible work and progress, Luke’s shoulder has not improved sufficiently for him to be considered for selection for the World Cup.

“We wish him a swift recovery and hope to see him back playing very soon.”

Cowan-Dickie tweeted “everything happens for a reason” after the squad announcement, adding: “Gutted is an understatement, but I’ll be back.”