Rugby firsts

Get to know Bristol's dynamic hooker HARRY THACKER

- words NEIL SQUIRES

Who was your first rugby hero? I loved watching HARRY ELLIS at Leicester.

He had zero regard for his own body; he used to hurl himself at the kicker's foot for charge-downs. He could have been a great England scrumhalf but a knee injury ruined it for him.

First rugby shirt? My old man (Troy) played for Leicester, so I had a lot of Tigers' shirts. But the one I was spellbound by was a SHARKS one from South Africa. He was a teacher and brought it back from a school tour. I didn't take it off for a whole summer.

Your first position? FLY-HALF. I played there at school until I was 16 - I didn't kick goals though. I got away with playing there as I could read the game, but by that point I was playing hooker for the Leicester academy.