'I owe the club': Luke Cowan-Dickie to stay at Sale Sharks

England and British and Irish Lions hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie will remain at Sale Sharks after signing a new one-year contract.

The 30-year-old who has made a significant impact at the club since joining from Exeter Chiefs this season confirmed his stay following a successful stint that saw him recover from a shoulder injury and participate in ten games. His performance earned him a spot in Steve Borthwick's recent Six Nations squad.

"I’ve absolutely loved it here," said Cowan-Dickie. "The plan was always to try and stay longer if I could and I’m so happy that it’s all sorted" he said. He also acknowledged the support from the club during his injury period "I feel I owe the club because they took a shot on me and then looked after me when I was injured. I don’t feel like I’ve performed as well as I can yet in a Sale shirt so I’m determined to show everyone what I can do."

Reflecting on his move to Sale he shared "The lads are fantastic. I’d been at Exeter for such a long time and moving to a new club and a new city was a worry. I didn’t think I’d fit in as well somewhere new but I feel like I’ve had a new lease of life. Training weeks are great and I’ve loved it."

Despite the team's current challenges Cowan-Dickie remains optimistic. "Obviously we’re not where we want to be this season but we’ve got some big games coming up and the boys have been working really well in training. Every team goes through difficult periods and hopefully we can put some wins together because we’ve got a class squad."

Alex Sanderson Sale Sharks' Director of Rugby praised Cowan-Dickie, saying: "Luke is a unique character and an exceptional player. His boundless energy is matched only by his frenzied commitment to his craft and his mates so much so it feels like he has been part of the team for far longer than he has.

"Signing Luke for another season is a sign that the club not only has the pull to retain up and coming internationals but also well-established seasoned ones to boot. That is not to say Luke is showing any signs of slowing down in his strive to continuously improve. Mark my words the best of Luke Cowan-Dickie is yet to come."