LUKE Cowan-Dickie insists the threat of being cut from England’s Rugby World Cup squad has done nothing to dampen spirits within the training camp, writes Luke Baker.

Stuart Lancaster's 45-man line-up features four hookers who travelled to Denver last weekend for high-altitude fitness training and despite being yet to earn his first cap, the 22-year-old who is being tipped to make the final 31.

Cowan-Dickie, a former Cornish Pirates youth player, got himself into contention in a sterling Premiership season for Exeter Chiefs scoring two tries in 14 appearances.

He now faces a shoot-out with Saracens’ Jamie George to secure the third hooker’s berth in the squad, behind the experienced duo of Tom Youngs and Rob Webber.

Speaking at the launch of England's World Cup shirt, Cowan-Dickie said it has been a great experience training with the side and admitted he is trying to avoid looking at the situation as a competition.

Cowan-Dickie said: "You’re just trying to train as hard as you can and you don’t really look at it as competitive or trying to get ahead of this guy or that guy and if you're lucky enough to be selected then you’re lucky enough to be selected.

"It’s the first time I’ve really spoken to Jamie George and we’re getting on really well.

"We don’t look at it as a competition so it’s a good atmosphere in the camp and all the boys have been sticking together."

Being chosen for a training squad was a welcome distraction for the forward after the Chiefs' season ended with them missing out on a Aviva Premiership semi-final spot on the last day and losing to Saracens in the LV Cup Final.

Pre-season training has already begun for Rob Baxter's side and Cowan-Dickie believes consistency will be the key to their 2015/16 campaign, which will include a maiden appearance in the European Rugby Champions Cup.

"We need to perform well through the whole season and not just the big games," he said.

"We seem to be consistent for a few games and then maybe drop off for one and then have the hit of thinking ‘flip, we lost a game we should have won’ and then upping the performance levels again."