Deacon, who returned to Welford Road in the summer after two years at Gloucester, lines up alongside fellow summer signing Richard Thorpe in the back row.
Rob Andrew, who started the opening Aviva Premiership game of the season away to London Welsh, starts in the second row.
Tigers, who beat Newcastle Falcons in their last ‘A’ League outing, are captained by Matt Cornwell.
Former Tigers Academy fly-half Tim Taylor starts for Gloucester, who are unbeaten in this season’s Aviva Premiership Rugby A League.
The game kicks off at 7.30pm. Admission is £5 for adults and £1 for U16s. Seating is unallocated.
Tigers Development XV
15 Alex Lewington
14 Henry Purdy
13 Andrew Symons
12 Javiah Pohe
11 Rhys Williams
10 Matt Cornwell (c)
9 Scott Steele
1 Jonny Harris
2 Jimmy Stevens
3 Fraser Balmain
4 Rob Andrew
5 Joe Cain
6 Brett Deacon
7 Richard Thorpe
8 Michael Noone
Replacements
16 Harry Thacker
17 Keiran Brookes
18 Ryan Bower
19 Harry Wells
20 Lucas Guillame
21 Wessel Joost
22 Harrison Lee-Everton
23 Tom Bellak
Gloucester United: Billy Burns, Steph Reynolds, Drew Locke, Tim Molenaar, Ian Clark, Tim Taylor, Brad Field; Yann Thomas, Tommaso d'Apice, Dario Chistolini; Will Graulich, Elliott Stooke; Peter Buxton (c), Matt Cox, Gareth Evans Replacements: Nico Woodward, James Gibbons, Henry Sandys, Ross Moriarty, Rob Langley, Grant Hancox, Kai Done, Liam Gallaher
