British and Irish Lions 2021 call-ups reflect Exeter Chiefs success, says Luke Cowan-Dickie
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Luke Cowan-Dickie has won 31 England caps since making his debut against France shortly before the 2015 World Cup
Luke Cowan-Dickie says his British and Irish Lions selection shows how well Exeter have done in the past season.
The 27-year-old hooker helped his side win a first-ever Premiership and European double last season and featured in all five of England's Six Nations games this year.
He is one of four Exeter players to make the Lions squad for the summer tour to South Africa.
"It just shows that we've done so well as a club," Cowan-Dickie said.
"Individual boys are getting recognition. Sam Simmonds, for example, hasn't had much international time but he's put his foot forward and now he's in the Lions.
"It's been a pretty crazy couple of years and hopefully we can top it off and have a really good tour."
Cornwall-born Cowan-Dickie and Simmonds - who has not played for England since 2018 - are joined in the Lions squad for the tour by Exeter team-mates Stuart Hogg and Jonny Hill.
With no club training session on Thursday when the Lions squad was announced, Cowan-Dickie found out by watching the announcement on his mobile phone while playing a round of golf.
"I think a few of the golfers weren't too happy because we were cheering on the ninth green, so it was quite funny," he said of the moment he found out about his selection.
"I was watching it and hoping for the best, and when it got to the C's I thought 'I've got to be next, if I'm not then there's no way I'm in the team' and luckily enough I was called out.
"It's always been a dream. Playing rugby, your dreams are obviously playing for England, playing for the Lions," he added to BBC Radio Devon.
"Lions is once every four years, it's a massive achievement and not many people get to do it.
"I don't think it's quite sunk in yet to be honest. My family at home are really proud and I've had hundreds of messages.
"The next few days it's really going to hit home, but I'm buzzing."