Young Gun: Harry Thacker – Leicester hooker

Making your father proud is something that every son seeks and Harry Thacker couldn’t have done much more to test his parent’s emotions with his man-of-the-match display in the opening round of this season’s LV= Cup against the Ospreys.

Dad Troy, the former Leicester Tigers hooker, advised his son to “go out there, get on with it and enjoy yourself” as he walked out at Welford Road as a second generation front-row for the English champions.

The two will be able to share stories of their debuts, and with 21 carries and 11 successful line-out throws Harry will perhaps have the upper hand in any bragging duel.

The 19-year-old expressed how the chilly Friday night will be a long-lasting memory. “It’s the first time I’ve actually started and I really enjoyed it, running out in front of 18,000 was quite something. Coming out of the tunnel was a dream come true, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

“The ball just fell to me throughout the game and I like to get around the corner and get my hands on the ball, that’s one of my strengths. I’ve done quite a lot of throwing recently, putting in the practice and on the day it worked for me.”

Handed his debut off the bench last year in the same competition, Thacker has been introduced to senior rugby gradually over the past 12 months after having played extensively for the academy side and England U18s. He’s started in two ‘A’ League matches scoring twice against Worcester Cavaliers, and has been nominated for the LV Breakthrough player Award after the opening round along with Wasps‘ Jonah Holmes.

Thacker remains modestly relaxed about his career having joined the Tigers academy from Leicester Grammar School. “It’s early days isn’t it, but it’s nice to be recognised. It’s nice to know that all the hard work has paid off because I’ve been in the academy since I was 16. Each year you get a little bit further.”

In the pursuit of progress as he comes to the end of his teens, Thacker has been lined up with the option of a loan move to the Championship: “Hopefully I’ll be able to get a few more LVs and then the plan is to go out to Nottingham on loan and get game time there.”

Nottingham are a club with a taste for front-rows from Leicester’s development squad with Ryan Bowers travelling down the A46 to Meadow Lane for the previous two campaigns.

Not only was a love of rugby bred into the Thacker family but also for Cornwall, and Polzeath in particular.

“I often pop down to Cornwall at the weekends and have a surf, but it’s a fair trip from Leicester,” he says.

“It’s just very relaxing and something I enjoy.  I’ve surfed at Bondi which was pretty awesome, but I’ve no other no fancy surfing plans just as yet as my funds are a long way from being able to do that.”

Minutes are the foremost priority for the England U20s player and should he be selected by England coach Nick Walshe it will be a well-received bonus on his road to impressing the legendary duo of hookers currently at Leicester – Richard Cockerill and George Chuter.

ADAM ELLIS