Hat-trick for Cowan-Dickie as Chiefs scalp Harlequins
HOOKER Luke CowanDickie cashed in with a hat-trick of tries after taking over the role of Exeter’s chief finisher from Thomas ‘Tank’ Waldrom.
“No, never in my life,” responded England’s third choice hooker after being asked if he had scored three in a match before.
But there could be plenty more to come if Waldrom – the Premiership’s leading try-scorer for the past two seasons – plays ball.
“We’ve changed things a bit so I get the ball now,” said Cowan-Dickie
“It’s meant to come back to me but sometimes he shuts the ball off a bit. Today he was nice enough to give it to me and it worked out well.”
Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter explained: “The maul laws have changed a bit so if Thom’s the first man on the ball he’s unlikely to be the guy who ends up on the ball.
“Your hooker’s more likely to end up with it now because he throws in and enters the maul last.”
England skipper Dylan Hartley and Saracens’ Jamie George are currently ahead of Cowan-Dickie in national boss Eddie Jones’ pecking order but Baxter said: “Luke’s playing absolutely flat out. He’s bang on form at the moment and hopefully he can continue his form through to the Autumn Internationals.”
Full-back Lachlan Turner, a replacement for the injured Phil Dollman, struck the first blow for the Chiefs.
Geoff Parling drove powerfully into the Harlequins’ 22 and half-back partners Will Chudley and Gareth Steenson worked a one-two passing move before Turner forced his way over.
It took Quins only three minutes to overturn the lead with Tim Swiel landing two long-range penalties.
The Chiefs, stirred rather than shaken, responded with two tries in a three-minute spell.
First, Quins’ hooker Rob Buchanan’s atrocious throw to the tail of the lineout landed in the arms of the unmarked CowanDickie.
Then, three minutes later Olly Woodburn accelerated down the right and supplied a superb onehanded pass to send Lachlan racing in for his second. Buchanan made amends for his earlier lapse to keep Quins in touch with the touchdown as the visitors secured their first try off a lineout catch and drive.
But Exeter secured the four-try bonus point with Cowan Dickie’s second – a virtual replica of the Harlequins’ score nine minutes earlier.
Exeter increased their first-half lead to 29-13 after Whitten grabbed an interception to release Chudley who was stopped just short. Five forward drives later Quins were penalised and Steenson kicked the points.
Cowan-Dickie completed his hat-trick six minutes into the second half as Exeter went 2-1 up in the catch-and drive stakes following Steenson’s penalty into the corner.
Quins’ replacement No.8 James Chisholm won the tussle for a high ball and made the hard yards to find Brown who sent Danny Care in for their second try before Marland Yarde and Swiel laid on a third for Charlie Walker. were told at the start of the season that if you flash your foot into a ruck and it connects with someone’s head then there’s a chance you will get a red card.”
James Horwill, Harlequins’ Australian lock, admitted: “Our lineout didn’t function and that was probably my doing.
“We gifted them two easy tries in the first half.”
Director of rugby John Kingston agreed: “Two soft tries halfway through the first half and it was very difficult to come back from there. The guys kept working hard but it was too little too late.”