The former Reading University man was due to lead the side in their victory against Army Under 23s last time out, only for a tooth issue to force him out of action.

Yet he is now ready to go and will be joined in the engine room by the increasingly impressive Callum Pitfield, props Terrel Harry and Liam Bishop – both of whom have National One experience – sandwiched by former Scotland Under 20s man Brad Clements in the front row.

At the rear of the pack, Harry Stone has completed his concussion protocols following the knock he took against Birmingham Moseley last month, slotting in on the blind-side flank as tackling machine Mikey Duda once again starts on the other side of the scrum.

Morgan MacRae completes the forwards, switching from his 24-minute hat-trick role at hooker against the Army to take the No. 8 jersey fresh from scoring the bonus-point try for the 1st XV against Blackheath on Saturday.

Young scrum-half Ollie Hodgson also featured in the victory against Club, and he will be partnered in trying to get the three-quarters flowing by experienced four-time Oxford University Blue Tom Humberstone at stand-off.

The centre combination of Joe Panesse and Oli Rhoads were outstanding against the Army, the former with a try and ex-Newbury man Rhoads with a brace, while Jamaica 7s star Jack Rampton also crossed the whitewash on the right wing.

Another former Reading Uni alumni, Alex Mannhardt, has pace to burn on the other side of the field, with the starting line-up completed by full-back Nat Arnold.

Front row cover is provided by the considerable size and strength of Nick Barry at prop and prolific try-scoring hooker Harry Bicknell, recent Colt Jack Rushton covering the flanker and No. 8 slots.

Teenager Louis Roumignac will be ready to step in at scrum-half, while Theo Pett-Ridge, also a member of the Colts side which reached the semi-finals of last year’s National Cup, can play at fly-half, in the centres or on the wing.

Equally versatile and rounding out the 21-man squad is Reading University powerhouse Isaac Tokura.

Development XV @ Richmond Vikings

(15-9, 1-8) Arnold, Rampton, Rhoads, Pannese, Mannhardt, Humberstone, Hodgson; Harry, Clements, Bishop, Elston ©, Pitfield, Stone, Duda, MacRae

Replacements: Barry, Bicknell, Rushton, Roumignac, Pett-Ridge, Tokura