The 30-year-old England international is one of five senior players to have signed new deals.

Graham Rowntree, Andy Goode, Harry Ellis and Will Johnson have also committed themselves to the Tigers.

Healey bounced back from 12 months of injury worries to put in a strong finish to last season playing on the wing and he will now hope to reach his 200th appearance for the midlands club.

However, head coach John Wells believes the versatile Healey should concentrate on one position with Ellis and Goodes partnership at half-back well established

Wells told the Leicester Mercury: Austin's ability to play in a variety of positions, and in some of them to play pretty well, gives us a lot of opportunities to use him.

To be fair, I think we should help Austin by saying, 'Look, we see you as ...' and then give him enough of an opportunity to establish himself in that position.

But he's a quality player to have in a squad - let's just hope we can keep him fit.