Deacon junior heads west
January 23 2010
Brett Deacon, younger brother of Leicester lock and captain Louis, has signed a contract to play for Gloucester next season.
Deacon, who has been with Leicester for seven years, signed the contract on Wednesday after he did not get the reassurances he needed from Richard Cockerill about first-team rugby next season.
The flanker has made 114 appearances over his seven-year stint at Welford Road, but only started in 73 matches.
"Brett wants to play rugby. He has been a great servant to us and we wanted to keep him. But he wants to be first choice somewhere else," said Cockerill.
"That is credit to him. We can't guarantee him anything in terms of playing time."
Another who could be on his way out is Lewis Moody, who confessed to The Times on Saturday that his head had turned by some of the money on offer in France.
"There are big decisions to make, the security for your family, planning for the future," he said.
"It's a big decision. I love Leicester, I've been here since I was a boy of 14 and I've been playing in the first team since I was 17. It's my home, the place I love, and it would be a very difficult place to leave.
"But at some point in your career you have to be selfish and say, 'You have to do what's best for your family.' Sometimes that's looking at options that are out there. We'll cross that bridge when it comes."