Gym before Guinness now for Cowan-Dickie
LUKE Cowan-Dickie is expecting Exeter to face a fired-up Montpellier today after the Top 14 club’s humiliating defeat at Leinster last weekend.
The Chiefs travel to the south of France virtually certain of making the last 16 because of their vastly superior points difference over Montpellier who are in ninth place and five points behind them in the table. The top eight go though to the next stage.
Montpellier still have a chance of progressing despite losing 89-7 in Dublin, but they probably would need to win and hope that one of Glasgow, Clermont Auvergne or Sale slipped up.
“They will be revved up after that defeat,” said Cowan-Dickie, Exeter’s captain and hooker who will be joining up with England’s squad to prepare for the Six Nations on his return from France. “We are expecting a completely different side and the focus all week has been on us.
“It was devastating to go from winning the double to getting nothing last season. It does get to you and we have seen that this season with some good performances and others not so good. Consistency is the issue and we had some meetings in recent weeks when we resolved to enjoy our rugby.
“I hope this is a good start to the end of the season. We were annoyed we did not put our best foot forward in the Premiership final against Harlequins last year, but we have put that to bed and are not thinking about the past, only what is to come.”
Exeter won in Montpellier four seasons ago, but Cowan-Dickie, who was not involved that afternoon, thinks it will be of little relevance today given all that has happened to both clubs since.
“We have to go there and put in another performance,” he said. “Training has gone well
and we are always confident going into games. I am excited to experience a new stadium and it is always different playing in France. We have to shut out the noise and focus on what we need to do.”
Cowan-Dickie is looking to get back his place in the England side after missing the autumn campaign through injury. He started the final two matches of the 2021 Six Nations ahead of Jamie George and played in all three Lions Tests against South Africa in the summer, the third from the bench.
“The Lions was massive and I could not believe it when I was selected,” said the 28-year old. “It is something that will never leave me. It was upsetting to miss the autumn but I am excited to be involved again.
“Seeing how they performed, it is like a New England team. Playing for the Lions has given me
more confidence, showing me what type of player I was when I thought I was not quite there. It has helped in terms of saying more stuff and getting more involved.”
Cowan-Dickie said he had made certain changes to his lifestyle to ensure he stayed at the top, varying his diet and cutting out snacks.
“I am lighter and feel better for it,” he said. “I am a bit more powerful and can play more minutes in a game when I used to be off after 55 minutes. I have changed how I train, what I eat and the extras I do. I feel more mobile and able to make more contributions in a game rather than feel a drop-off at the end.
“Having a kid has also made a difference. I used to skip recovery after training when I was younger, but now I spend the extra half-hour to get things done and it means that when I go home I can
switch off from rugby.”
Cowan-Dickie said his relationship with England head coach Eddie Jones was now strong. At the hooker’s first England camp, Jones put 24 cans of Guinness in front of him having heard the Chief was ‘a bit of a drinker’ and laughed when the player walked out of the room with them after their chat.
“You could not turn that down,” said CowanDickie. “It was a statement from him. He knew what I was like and did not want me to continue to be like that. He was putting his foot down in a nice way.
“I was not that confident when I first went into camp, third choice behind Dylan Hartley and Jamie, and he knew I was not myself. He saw an opportunity to push me and he still does, but we have a better relationship. I can tell him if I have anything on my chest and vice versa.”