Sale Sharks have signed England and British and Irish Lions hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie from fellow Premiership membership Exeter Chiefs.

In April, Exeter boss Rob Baxter denied experiences that the Cornishman’s transfer to France had been known as off, amid experiences he had missed a medical.

However the transfer did fall by means of, permitting Sale to take the possibility to signal him.

“Luke is a unbelievable participant and we really feel actually lucky and completely satisfied to have secured him for the foreseeable future,” stated Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson.

“Already it seems like match for him and for us, with the kind of staff we need to be on and off the pitch.

“To have the ability to herald an England worldwide and a British and Irish Lion to a squad that is already nearly as good as this one is actually thrilling.”

Cowan-Dickie has gained 41 caps for England and likewise featured in all three Assessments for the British and Irish Lions in the course of the 2021 tour of South Africa.

He’ll miss this autumn’s Rugby World Cup in France with a shoulder harm, however his transfer to the AJ Bell Stadium means he will probably be eligible for England choice up till the 2025 Lions tour.

Because the Premiership’s wage cap reduces to £5m, quite a lot of Exeter’s stars have left Sandy Park, with fellow Lion Sam Simmonds becoming a member of Montpellier and Jack Nowell shifting to La Rochelle.

Cowan-Dickie joins a powerful former Exeter contingent on the 2023 Premiership finalists, alongside Jonny Hill, Tom O’Flaherty and Byron McGuigan.

“I have been on the identical membership for 13 years and I felt it was time for a change,” Cowan-Dickie stated.

“I do know Jonny and Tom from Exeter and so they have raved about this membership since they got here up right here.

“It has been an extended journey attempting to get match and never understanding the place I would be enjoying, however I can already see myself being right here for a very long time.

“This staff reached the ultimate final yr and talking to the boys right here, all of them need to go one higher. I need to win and I am assured we are able to have a profitable yr.”

Evaluation

Brent Pilnick, BBC Sport

Luke Cowan-Dickie’s transfer to Sale ends a long-running saga about the place the hooker will play his rugby subsequent season.

The collapse of the Montpellier deal could have monetary implications for the Cornishman, as it’s unlikely his contract at Sale will probably be as profitable because the one he would have gotten in France’s High 14.

Nevertheless it does give the English recreation a lift as considered one of its high stars continues to be eligible to play after the World Cup, and brings the potential of a second British and Irish Lions call-up in 2025.

Sale have gotten themselves a no-nonsense hooker who may rating tries and is comfy with the ball in hand, and is a perfect signing for the Sharks’ entrance row – with South Africa hooker Akker van der Merwe leaving the membership.