Doncaster Knights: Academy hooker Will Holling signs professional deal

Hooker Will Holling has become the third product of Doncaster Knights’ academy to sign professional terms with the Championship club.
Will HollingWill Holling
Will Holling

The Doncaster-born forward has penned a one-year deal at Castle Park, following in the footsteps of Sam Jones and Sam Pocklington.

Holling, a former Hill House School pupil, has been a stand-out performer for Doncaster Phoenix this season and has also helped Knights’ academy to a second successive BUCS league and cup double.

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The 21-year-old also spent last summer in Australia with Griffith University.

“I am really excited to get going in the first team,” Holling told Knights’ official website.

“I have worked hard over the last three years in the academy and it is great to see it has paid off.

“It has been a great season with coming back from Australia with a trophy and then winning the league and cup in the BUCS, so the contract really tops it all off as a superb campaign.

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“I have trained before with the first team but as a professional player I am looking forward to getting into that environment and learning off the players, some are already my coaches in academy so it’s good to have some similar faces around.”

Director of rugby Clive Griffiths said: “Once again this announcement is testimony to the work and progress that has occurred in this vital aspect of our rugby chain at Castle Park and huge credit must go to all concerned and we hope to see this progression trend continue in the years ahead.

“Will is deserving of his professional contract as he has been an emerging stand out player in our academy as well as for Doncaster Phoenix.

“Not only that he travelled down under last year to help Griffith University to a Gold Coast Competition Grand Final win and quickly established himself as their number one hooker.

“Will brings youthful exuberance and dynamism to the number two shirt and we hope to see him challenge his fellow front row union in the near future.”