YOUNG Keighley prop James Whitcombe followed in the footsteps of his father Martin over the weekend, as he made his senior debut for Leicester Tigers.

The 20-year-old, who takes no prisoners at 19 stone and 6ft 3in, was named on the bench for Leicester's 28-20 win at Bayonne in the European Challenge Cup.

His father also played for Leicester, as well as England B and Sale, in a career which stretched from the early 80s until the late 90s.

And the family tradition in rugby stretches back much further than that.

Young Whitcombe's grandfather, Frank, broke all Yorkshire records by making the county team at the age of 17 as a prop.

He played for Bradford and, famously, for North Eastern Counties against Wilson Whineray’s All Blacks at Harrogate in January 1964.

And his father, Frank Sr, famously switched codes, becoming one of Great Britain's greatest ever rugby league players in a career which straddled World War II.

Young James won't get chance to play on Boxing Day sadly, with Leicester forfeiting their game against Newcastle Falcons on Boxing Day due to positive cases within the Tigers' camp.