uke Cowan-Dickie is predicted to have the possibility to bear additional medical assessments linked to his transfer to Montpellier regardless of spending an evening in a French police holding cell final week.

The England hooker was not arrested however Montpellier’s state prosecutor confirmed he was detained in a single day on Wednesday final week, as “the subject of a procedure for manifest and public drunkenness”.

Exeter front-rower Cowan-Dickie has been battling nerve injury in his neck, and France’s Top 14 has more durable medical guidelines round such accidents than the Gallagher Premiership.

England nonetheless hope to have the 29-year-old match for the autumn’s World Cup in France, however the nature of his neck damage means a restoration timescale is tough to set.

Montpellier are understood to be eager to persevere with Cowan-Dickie’s transfer regardless of the protracted medical assessments, and the undesirable consideration round his detainment.

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“I’ve had discussions with Luke, and he said he hasn’t failed his medical. It is something that has massively been blown out of proportion,” mentioned Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter.

“I think he is popping over again just to finish off a couple of bits the French would like to investigate in terms of his injuries. He hasn’t failed a medical, and he hasn’t not turned up for a medical.

“I am not saying it is totally pie in the sky because everything has a little bit of truth in it. But as far as he has not turned up and they’ve rolled up the contract and thrown it away, that is not the case.

“If the element (of truth) is a drink in a bar at some stage, then I would say probably yes. Other than that, I think there has probably been a fair bit of journalistic licence in a few things that have happened.

“I believe they (Montpellier) want some more information on the nerve damage around the last operation.

“All I know is Luke has said there has been a fair bit of over-hype around everything. At this stage, Luke is being told everything is okay. Reports it is all done, and his contract is over couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Cowan-Dickie is on the head of a nucleus of Exeter’s glittering era that can go away Sandy Park this summer time. The 29-year-old has made greater than 150 appearances throughout 13 years of senior rugby with the Chiefs.

Exeter boss Baxter pledged the Devon membership would take a look at learn how to maintain Cowan-Dickie ought to his Montpellier transfer fail to materialise, given his continued damage considerations.

“If it all falls through I would expect us to have a look into the possibilities of trying to, at the very least, look after him during his injury rehab,” mentioned Baxter.

“That would be my expectation. He’s been a very important player for us. We’d look to do something to look after him, of course we would.”