EXETER CHIEFS are losing their battle to keep England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie after he rejected a new contract.
Cowan-Dickie is out of contract at the end of the season.
That has alerted Leicester and Harlequins, who have earmarked Cowan-Dickie as their top transfer target and want to speak to him in the first week in January.
Rob Baxter has had to perform a fine juggling act attempting to keep a number of out-of-contract England stars at the club.
Blindside understands Jack Nowell, Henry Slade and Alec Hepburn have all agreed extensions for next season.
The loss of Cowan-Dickie will be a blow for the Chiefs who last week signed Scotland fullback Stuart Hogg, paying him around £500,000 a season.
