Scrum-half Jono Kitto has been released from his contract at Leicester Tigers.

Kitto, 25, made 29 appearances and scored two tries for Tigers following a move from club rugby in New Zealand during the summer of 2015. After a short spell on loan at Worcester Warriors last month, he has now been released by Tigers.

Head coach Matt O’Connor said: “Jono has been part of the first-team squad for the last couple of seasons and we thank him for his commitment to the club, but we have two good scrum-halves coming through the system here and believe the time is right to provide opportunities for them to gain experience in the senior environment.

“Ben White and Harry Simmons have both come through our academy and are at a stage in their careers where we need to be able to provide those opportunities in senior rugby.

“We see both Ben and Harry playing a significant role in the club’s future success and we look forward to seeing their development alongside senior scrum-halves Ben Youngs and Sam Harrison.

“We thank Jono for his hard work in the squad and wish him well for the future.”