 Deacon has been compared to former England captain Martin Johnson |
England captain Martin Corry has paid tribute to lock Louis Deacon as his Leicester team-mate prepares to win his first cap against Samoa on Saturday. "Louis has been a tremendous player for a couple of years," said Corry, who will lead England for the fifth time.
"He's one of those quiet guys who goes about his work with tremendous professionalism at Leicester.
"While he is excellent in the line-outs, I think his real strength is his doggedness in the loose."
Deacon played for England against the Barbarians last season and against Canada and Argentina in this summer's Churchill Cup.
The 25-year-old has become a central cog of the Leicester pack, often keeping World Cup winner Ben Kay out of the side.
"It is a massive opportunity for me on Saturday," Deacon said. "Hopefully I can bring my physicality to the game and prove I'm worth my place.
"We're expecting them to be very physical in the tackle area and in contact. We'll have to match them there."