England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie is hopeful to be on the plane to South Africa following an impressive season for Exeter Chiefs.
The 24-year-old helped Chiefs secure a home semi-final in the Premiership after they comfortably finished top of the league, sitting eight points clear of Wasps in second before the final regular game.
Now Cowan-Dickie, whose last cap for England came against France in the NatWest 6 Nations in March, believes his form will have given him the best chance to be included in Eddie Jones’ plans.
“I love being involved with England and I love pushing new levels,” said Cowan-Dickie.
“The summer tour to South Africa is in the back of my mind and I’ll be excited if I get the opportunity to go.
“But now at club level we’ve got two and, potentially, three games left to focus on.”
Despite his path to England’s starting line-up clearing slightly due to Dylan Hartley’s injury, Saracens hooker Jamie George has been the main replacement under Jones’ tenure so far.
However, Cowan-Dickie feels he has given himself every chance after scoring two tries for Exeter this season and making more than 100 carries in 11 appearances in the Premiership.
Although the hooker suffered an ankle injury mid-March, he feels if he can perform in the semi-final and again in the final should Exeter get there he has every right to make the summer England squad.
He said: “We’ve been talking all week about training well and performing well.
“If I do that and I play the semi-final, it shows that I’ve put in a solid performance.
“Hopefully, if I do that I might get the call and if I do I’ll look forward to it then.”
