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Leicester Tigers could be set to lose promising loosehead Hills

By Ian Cameron
Owen Hills

Leicester Tigers could be set to lose a promising young loosehead in the form of Owen Hills.

Just this morning it was confirmed that flanker Will Evans is leaving the club for Harlequins, a move that has frustrated many Tigers fans.

Evans enjoyed a meteoric rise through the Tigers ranks in the closing stages of the 2015/16 season, making his senior debut for Leicester Tigers and then going to the World Under-20s Championships with England, becoming an integral part of the team that reached the final.

However he has seen precious little game time in the years since. Some have suggested that the 6 foot, 90kg Evans was considered too small for a club that prides itself on dominating opposing packs. Tigers also lost undersized hooker Harry Thacker, who has gone on to become a standout player at Bristol Bears since arriving at Ashton Gate last summer.

The 5'11, 116kg Hills doesn't have a size problem but the 22-year-old is eager for more game time. RugbyPass understands that talks have taken place with both Gloucester and Bristol Bears, and that he could be set to be lured away from Welford Road.

A Leicester Tigers season ticket holder as a youngster, he played his junior rugby at Market Bosworth, before joining the Tigers academy.

He represented both England Under-18s and then Under-20s and reached the Junior World Cup Final in 2015. He graduated from the club’s academy to join the development squad in 2016/17.

According to Tigers' website, he made his first senior appearance for Tigers in the Marcos Ayerza testimonial fixture against Argentina in 2015 and added senior experience with Moseley, Nottingham and Loughborough Students as he came through the professional ranks.