Statement: Luke Cowan-Dickie Gives Latest on his Montpellier transfer

However, issues around Cowan-Dickie's medical, and a reported incident resulting in the front-rower spending a night in a Montpellier 'drunk tank', sees the move remain uncompleted for now. : "I don’t know the ins and outs of it, all I know is he was very sheepish when he got back.

Devon Live reported how Cowan-Dickie gave a recent update on the transfer situation.

"I went to my medical. There are some bits that are true, there are some bits that aren’t." The 29-year-old said.

"I have got a bit of nerve damage and it is slowly coming back but I think they couldn’t risk me not being back for the start of the season.”

Luke Cowan-Dickie was expecting to move to Montpellier alongside Chiefs teammates Sam Simmonds and Harry Williams. However, expectations are that he may now continue his playing career in the Gallagher Premiership, with Sale Sharks rumoured to be interested in the hooker.

Exeter Chiefs winger Jack Nowell will also be heading out to the Top 14 next season, with reports that he has agreed a move to 2023 Heineken Champions Cup winners La Rochelle. Nowell gave his thoughts on the transfer situation, and how he could see Cowan-Dickie staying in Devon.

Nowell added (via Devon Live)

“I am not too sure what happened there to be honest, with Dickie no one ever knows. I am not sure he even knows what happened.

“I know he is struggling a bit from his neck op, I know he is getting a lot better now, but I don’t really know what happened out there.

“I don’t think he is going to struggle [to find a club]. I think he will probably stay at the club [Exeter Chiefs].”

However, it is even more intriguing that several big names have reportedly been left out by Steve Borthwick, which severely diminishes their chances of making the final team for the tournament in September.

The England coach is expected to announce his training squad within the next few weeks in preparation for their four warm-up games.

Below are five players who have allegedly been snubbed.

Marler violated one of Steve Borthwick’s primary rules earlier this year, which is the "no sh**talking policy" for the England team.

Consequently, despite his impressive performance with Harlequins this season, he was excluded from the Six Nations squad.

Recently, Marler received a six-week ban (with four weeks suspended) for making inappropriate remarks about Bristol flanker Jake Heenan's mother.

As he approaches his mid-30s, the possibility of Marler returning to international play appears increasingly improbable.

After a difficult summer with the England team, May has had a poor season in the Premiership, only managing to score four tries in 20 appearances across all competitions.

Despite being a crucial member of Eddie Jones' England squad and the second-highest try scorer for his country, with only Rory Underwood ahead of him, May's international career appears to be in jeopardy with the emergence of new talent like Henry Arundell, Tommy Freeman, Cadan Murley, Ollie Hassell-Collins, and Adam Radwan.

At 33 years old, it seems like May's time at the international level may be coming to an end.

With a move to France pending, the Exeter Chiefs flier went from vice-captain in the Autumn to being completely out of the squad for the Six Nations, reportedly without a phone call.

Brutal from Steve Borthwick, who is reportedly being heavily influenced by RFU chiefs according to Eddie Jones.

Yesterday, any chance of a recall seemed to go out the window as Nowell was fined £10,000 by the Rugby Football Union for criticising a refereeing decision on Twitter.

The 30-year-old accepted his post prejudiced the game when appearing in front of an independent disciplinary panel on Wednesday.

He has to undertake a referees’ course, with the fine being donated to charity.

Nowell said referee Karl Dickson’s decision to show Woodburn his second yellow card was “one of the worst decisions” he had ever seen.

Despite having not featured in Steve Borthwick's plans since the former Leicester Tigers Head Coach took the reigns with England, Billy Vunipola is always a worthwhile asset for a squad to have during a long competition.

However, the Saracen's chances of an England return wore ever thinner after he suffered a knee injury in mid-April. In an eerily similar style to that of Jonny Gray, Vunipola was stretchered off the pitch, as he came down hard on his knee against La Rochelle, in the Heineken Champions Cup.

Vunipola has been confirmed to be written out of Mark McCall's plans for the rest of Saracens' season, with the powerhouse number-eight set to miss the 2023 Gallagher Premiership Play-Offs.

It was a sorry sight for Sarries fans, as their back-rower was forced into an early exit, during the first half of Saracens quarter-final defeat to the French flyers.

Thankfully for Vunipola, it has been reported that after undergoing surgery, he should be fit ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

However, given Borthwick's early tendency to overlook the Number Eight, and an extended time on the side-line hindering Vunipola's match-fitness, it is becoming increasingly unlikely for Billy to make a Rugby World Cup return.

Yet as we know, injuries can happen at any time, and a Vunipola-sized reinforcement could well bolster a depleting squad in the latter stage of the competition.

Despite being a favorite of Eddie Jones, the Sale Sharks lock is facing the possibility of being dropped from the England squad due to the emergence of Ollie Chessum from Leicester Tigers.

Regaining his place in the England team may prove difficult as David Ribbans from Northampton Saints is also performing well, and Hugh Tizard, who won the Saracens breakthrough player of the year award, has been recommended for a call-up.

As a fun fact, it's worth noting that Hill is related to Paul Loughlin, a former rugby league international.