TOM DENTON WILL leave Leinster this summer after four seasons with the province, during which he made 48 appearances.
Leinster announced this morning that the 28-year-old has signed a contract with Aviva Premiership club Gloucester, who’ll be playing Challenge Cup rugby in Europe in 2016-17 after finishing eighth in the English top flight this season.
Denton joined Leinster in 2012 from Leeds Carnegie, for whom he made a total of 60 appearances in the Premiership and the Championship. The English-born lock has played 10 times for Leinster this season, including three substitute appearances in the Champions Cup.
Denton says he’s enthused by the opportunity to compete in the Premiership again but he wants to play his part in steering Leinster to the Guinness Pro12 title before he departs.
“I’m very excited about the prospect of returning to England and having another crack at the Premiership with a club like Gloucester, one with a great history but a bright future as well,” said Denton.
“I feel that my game has developed a lot while with Leinster and I know that I’ll need to perform well as Gloucester already have a number of quality second rows.
“However, we’ve got a big semi-final against Ulster to prepare for next Friday in the RDS and my focus is completely on that as I’d love to bring my time at Leinster to a close having helped to secure the Guinness Pro12 title.”
David Humphreys, Gloucester’s director of rugby, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming Tom into our environment, and his arrival only makes us stronger as a unit.
“During his time in the Aviva Premiership with Leeds, he proved to be a quality operator, and he has matured and improved whilst with Leinster. I know first hand from my time with Ulster what a quality opponent he is and he will be a welcome addition to our second row ranks.”
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Doherty did very well again tonight.
@GARFARKLE: very good wing back.
Amazing what a bit of financial muscle can do for a club.
Leeds are very poor at the moment, hard to see them challenging for a top 6 spot, seem to get overrun to easily in midfield