Luke's ready for JWC challenge

Pictures: Getty Images

 



By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs forward Luke Cowan-Dickie is confident England's Under-20s side can go places at this summer's Junior World Championships in France.

As one of five current Chiefs named in Nick Walshe's squad for the tournament which gets underway next month, 19-year-old Cowan-Dickie says he is looking to cap a solid season at both club and international level with another big display on the other side of the Channel.

In a big 12 months for the Cornishman, not only has Cowan-Dickie again featured for the Chiefs at first team level - but he was also an integral part of the England side that reclaimed their Six Nations title with victory over Wales.



"We're looking forward to the tournament," said Cowan-Dickie. "We’re a completely different group of players and there’s only a few of us left [from the last Junior World Championship] – so it’ll be a good experience and hopefully we can do a bit better."

Buoyed by their success in this year's Six Nations, England - who also have fellow Chiefs Joel Conlon, Sam Hill, Jack Nowell and Henry Slade within their ranks - will certainly be looking to replicate their 40-10 thrasing of the French at Worcester back in February.

Cowan-Dickie, however, knows '"Les Bleus' will be a much tougher proposition on home soil and has sounded a note of caution ahead of their opening game.

“It’ll be different against France in their home country with a home crowd," said the talented front-row forward. "The French love to watch rugby and [in 2012] they had about 8,000 people there, so I’m sure there will be a hell of a crowd this time round.

"We know it will be tough and physical over there, so it will be up to us to step up to the mark. Over the last few years players like Marland Yarde and Matt Kvesic have played at this level and now they're in the full senior squad, so we all know if we play well and perform, the coaches higher up are watching and if they think you are good enough, they'll give you your chance at some stage."

Certainly Cowan-Dickie will have plenty of familiar faces around him in France with a number of his club-mates lining up alongside him.

"It's good five or six of the boys are in the team, already the banter is flowing," he added. "I think it's also good for Exeter as well that we've got so many of us in the squad. The club is moving forward all the time, so to have this much involvement within the set-up shows how much hard work is being put in by a lot of people."