HOOKER James Penman is the latest player to announce he will be leaving Plymouth Albion this summer.
The New Zealander, who can also play prop, will join Albion’s National One rivals Darlington Mowden Park.
Penman had initially been keen to stay at Plymouth but decided to accept an offer elsewhere in the light of the takeover of the club and the departure of Graham Dawe, who brought him to Brickfields from Cambridge.
Penman said: “Whilst it will be a wrench to leave Albion, who have been great to me, they are heading in a different direction and I wish them all the very best for the future.”
Penman admitted the uncertainty at Brickfields was part of the reason for his move.
He added: “I just could not really hold out much longer and wait for Plymouth to come through with something.
“I’m here with my fiancée and we are a long way from home, so I had to make a decision on my future and get something in place for next season.
“It is all so much up in the air at Plymouth. I would rather go somewhere where the future is a bit more certain and the prospects look a bit brighter rather than wait for the unknown and hope for the best.
“But it is pretty hard leaving the boys after the year we have had. This is one of the best experiences of my rugby career so far. It is hard to walk away from that, but I have to look to the future.”
Penman is disappointed the current Albion squad and coaching staff could not stay together for one more season.
“What’s happened is pretty hard to take,” he said. “Everyone in the squad has made a really good go of it this season and it will be exciting to see what happens to everyone as some have got some very bright futures.
“It is just such a shame we could not all stick together for another season.
“I have loved it here. It has been really special.”
Last season Darlington signed five players from Plymouth – Jake Henry, Pete Homan, Alistair Bone, Tom Harrison and Tom Jubb.
Penman said: “There’s a couple of boys from Plymouth last season who are still up there and I spoke to them and they say they enjoy it there and it’s a good set-up and a good family club.
“Although sad to leave Plymouth it is an exciting new adventure and challenge.”
Penman follows Billy Searle and Ollie Dawe is departing Brickfields.
Dawe and Searle have already signed for Bristol while other members of Albion’s successful squad are expected to accepted deals elsewhere after not get receiving offers to stay at Brickfields.