Mike Brown to be offered new Leicester deal to keep him playing into 40th year
Mike Brown will be offered a new deal by Leicester to play top flight professional rugby into his 40th year.
The former England full-back is a free agent after marking the final day of his contract with a try-scoring display in Tigers’ New Year’s Eve mauling of Bath.
At the final whistle the 38-year old was serenaded by a sell-out Welford Road crowd concerned they might be seeing him in a Leicester shirt for the last time.
But Tigers have moved swiftly to put those fears to bed, tabling a new deal which would keep 72-cap Brown at the club beyond this season.
Leicester boss Dan McKellar has made clear that age is just number when you have a player of Brown's influence in the changing room.
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“I don’t think you’re playing professionally at his age, at the level he’s playing at, if you’re not the ultimate pro,” said the Australian.
Brown goes past Max Ojomoh to score for Tigers against Bath on Sunday (Getty Images)“I talk about paid rugby players and I talk about professional rugby players and he’s a professional rugby player. That’s why he’s still playing now and not just playing, he’s performing at a level which is up there with as good as he’s played.
“For a young player to observe how Browny goes about his work from one day to the next, those sorts of players are worth their weight in gold. His value is obvious.”
Leicester were one of four teams to sell-out on a record-breaking weekend for the Premiership and Exeter boss Rob Baxter hopes that feelgood factor will bring fresh positivity into a struggling sport.
Brown won 72 caps playing for England“My New Year’s wish is that people start talking real positively about the Premiership,” said Chiefs’ director of rugby.
“I’d love people to be talking really positively about the rugby we’re playing and to be encouraged by how England looks like their developing through the Six Nations.
“All those things can have a massive affect on where we go as a game in the country in the next six months, two years.”
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