YORK City Knights have received a major backline boost ahead of Sunday’s trip to Widnes Vikings.
Powerful outside backs Will Oakes and Junior Vaivai have both joined on a one-month loan from Hull KR.
Both come into contention for the weekend's squad as the Knights look to maintain their push for a surprise Betfred Championship play-off place.
A USA international with excellent footwork and good speed, Vaivai is an explosive centre with a major strike threat out wide.
He has NRL experience with South Sydney Rabbitohs and has scored 14 tries in 35 Hull KR appearances to date.
On a personal note, Vaivai is also the cousin of Hollywood movie star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Oakes, meanwhile, was a regular England Academy international and a stand-out performer at under-19 level, scoring six tries in 10 appearances for York on dual-registration last year and helping the Knights become Betfred League One champions. He is known for his pace and physical strength as well as being a natural finisher and a real threat out wide.
The 20-year-old has scored 10 tries in 24 first-grade appearances for Hull KR, and has also represented Scotland at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.
Knights head coach James Ford said: “I'm really looking forward to working with Will again. He’s a very strong ball carrier with the potential to make a big impact for us.
"I'm excited to work with Junior too, he’s very explosive and can turn momentum in games with pieces of individual class. I’m confident he’ll be a very popular player in his time at York.
He added: "I’m so proud of the club's efforts to sustain our progress and the support we’ve received from our fan base has facilitated this drive."
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