Stearman in and King out for Knights ahead of Castleford Tigers game (From York Press)

Stearman in and King out for Knights ahead of Castleford Tigers game

12:16pm Friday 27th January 2012 in Sport By Steve Carroll , Sports reporter

Jack Stearman will return to action in York City Knights’ final pre-season game against Castleford Tigers at Huntington Stadium on Sunday – but Paul King has been ruled out of the annual Paul Higgins memorial match.

Stearman will turn out for the first time since dislocating an elbow 20 minutes into his debut for Scotland in the autumn triangular tournament against Ireland in mid-October.

Prop King, the former Super League stalwart and Great Britain international, picked up a rib injury in last weekend’s match against Hull and will not be risked ahead of the start of the Northern Rail Cup campaign.

Player boss Chris Thorman has confirmed a strong Knights team will meet Cas and he will once again team up with new signing Jordan Tansey at half-back. The rest of the squad was being decided at training last night.

It will be the fourth time the Knights have staged a fixture in memory of the former junior rugby league guru, who died in 2008, aged 56. Higgins played for Castleford and developed players with both the Tigers and York.

He was the Knights first ever reserve grade head coach and played a big role in bringing on York duo Ed Smith and Stearman, along with York-based Castleford junior Sam Orange.

Knights general manager Ian Wilson said: “Paul was a great servant to both clubs and this match recognises his work. I urge fans of both clubs to help support Higgo’s 13-a-side Rugby Foundation by attending the game and supporting the collection and raffle.”

Castleford’s line-up includes new signing James Grehan, the former Paramatta player who joined the club from French side Limoux last week.

First team players Nathan Massey, John Davies and Jordan Thompson, who all spent time with the Knights last season, will also start.

Former Knights scholarship player Orange, will make his return from injury.

Turnstiles open at 1.30pm with kick off at 3pm. The Knights will donate 20 per cent of the gate receipts to Higgo’s 13-a-side Rugby Foundation and there will also be a bucket collection and a raffle to raise money for the organisation.