Doncaster Knights will look for inspiration from one of the country’s best prospects when they bid to end a seven-game losing run in the Championship against Jersey today.
Highly-rated hooker Harry Thacker will make his Doncaster debut after he was made available by Leicester Tigers, who were in European Champions Cup action last night.
Thacker, who won the 2014 LV= Breakthrough Player Award, was one of a handful of Leicester players to sign dual-registration terms with the Knights in September.
But after scoring three tries in four appearances for the Tigers this season, his Doncaster debut has understandably been placed on hold.
Laurence Pearce, another dual-registration player from Leicester Tigers, also starts for the Knights at blind side flanker, while winger Tyson Lewis returns to the starting XV after a three-game absence.
Fly half Paul Roberts makes his first start since November, replacing Piers Francis.
Centre Bevon Armitage, meanwhile, will make his 100th appearance for Doncaster today.
Knights are without a league win since September.
Knights team vs Jersey: Jarvis, Flockhart, Catchpole, Armitage, Lewis, Roberts, Palu, List, Thacker, Quigley, Challinor, Phelan, Pearce, Hills, Shaw. Replacements: Bergmanas, Hunter, Davies, Hotson, Makaafi, Francis, Bravo.