LOFTY Northampton Saints Academy lock Tom Hicks will join Gloucester for next season.
Kingsholm bosses have managed to prise the highly-rated 21-year-old away from Franklin's Gardens.
The Saints hierarchy are thought to be frustrated to lose a player who might not boast as much first-team experience as expected for his age but still boasts great potential.
The Germany-born second-row will take a place in Gloucester's gold Academy group next term.
And The Citizen understands Gloucester enticed Hicks to Kingsholm with the offer of greater opportunities to prove himself at first-team level.
Hicks has one solitary senior Saints appearance, in the LV=Cup clash against London Irish on January 30, 2011.
The 6ft 8in 16st 5lb lineout presence has featured regularly for Northampton Wanderers, the Saints' A League side, including playing against Gloucester United at Kingsholm in October.
A product of Sedbergh School, he has also spent time on loan at Moseley in the Championship in 2012-13 and with Coventry in National One in 2011-12.
He has found his path back to more first-team action at Northampton blocked by a host of accomplished and experienced operators.
Out-and-out locks Christian Day and Mark Sorenson, who has now signed for Bristol, along with back-five forward pair Samu Manoa and Courtney Lawes have proved immovable objects for the sizeable Hicks.
James Craig, another lock-cum-flanker, has been another to step through the ranks ahead of Hicks.
Director of rugby Nigel Davies said signing for Gloucester was a great opportunity for Hicks to fulfil his ambitions.
"Tom is a promising young prospect with the ideal build for a second row in the professional game," said Davies.
"He's an ambitious young man, and he's opted to join us at Kingsholm because he feels we have a reputation for developing young talent and providing good playing opportunities where appropriate.
"He's already shown what he can do at A League level and this move is a chance for him to develop his game and push on.
"We're looking forward to Tom arriving and getting down to some hard work with us."
Hicks will complete Gloucester's second-row stocks for next season.
Club captain Jim Hamilton's Montpellier switch certainly lightens the locking brigade.
But Newcastle Falcons lineout boss James Hudson is an extremely shrewd replacement for Alex Brown, who was forced into premature retirement at Christmas.
Tongan grafter Lua Lokotui has effectively replaced Hamilton, even though he arrived halfway through the season just gone, to offset the loss of stalwart Brown.
Bullish back-five forward Tom Savage is likely to feature more at lock than loose-forward next term, given Gloucester's crowded back-row picture and need at second-row.
Evergreen elder statesman Will James has enjoyed a fine campaign in Gloucester's engine room, but he will turn 37 in December and doubtless rotation will help get the best out of him once again.
Gloucester have a number of highly-rated young second-rows coming through their youth system.
Elliott Stooke heads that queue, waiting to graft his way to first-team regular status.
The former Stow-on-the Wold RFC man is on England Under-20s action at the Junior World Championship in France.
But when he returns to Gloucester action next season, he should be primed for his big top-flight breakthrough.
The 19-year-old impressed in his three first-team outings this year, and has the physicality, the mindset and the aggression to thrive in the Premiership in the long-term.
