Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter is still hopeful hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie will play again in a Chiefs shirt before he leaves the club for French side Montpellier.

Baxter believes Cowan-Dickie could be back for the final couple of weeks of the campaign after undergoing ankle surgery, but he confirmed the England hooker will miss the whole of the Six Nations Championship.

"The timings say he should be there or thereabouts towards the end of the season,” said Baxter.

"Sometimes those things can change by weeks either way, but if we get progression games that obviously helps a lot and starts to extend the season. 

"I think he is confident he will be back way before then, that is what Luke is like, but a combination of the two probably means he will get there. That's great news for us, great news for England going into a World Cup year, but if anyone can get themselves ready to go in a short space of time, it'll be Luke Cowan-Dickie."