RAMS Development name a side featuring eight players with National One experience for tonight’s floodlit home game with the British Army (7.30pm).

Long-term stalwart Colin Thomson captains the team from the second row as he continues his return from injury, joined in the engine room by Callum Pitfield.

Props Liam Bishop and Ryan Lomas, along with hooker Morgan MacRae, have 31 first-team caps this season as they get ready to line up against an experienced Red Shirts front row, while flankers Jedd Paine and Reading University student Rocco Hartley are joined by No. 8 Harry Judd at the back of the scrum.

Ollie Hodgson is at scrum-half following an encouraging first National One start at Birmingham Moseley on Saturday, the youthful Uni stand-off James Gilman outside him as they look to get the attack going.

Two more youngsters fill the midfield, Loughborough Uni inside Joe Pannese having started at Leicester Lions earlier this month in a game where Newbury junior Oli Rhoads claimed his first Level Three try off the bench.

Jamaica Sevens star Jack Rampton is back in 15-a-side-action on the right wing, while the equally speedy Alex Mannhardt goes on the other flank and former Millfield School alumni Nat Arnold completes the team at full-back.

On the bench hooker Harry Bicknell is the Development XV’s joint top try-scorer this term, with props Elio Mandozzi and Archie Downing hoping to provide further ballast into the front row.

Downing’s colleague at Reading Uni, Barney Thomas, completes the forwards cover, with two further students, Tom Eedes and Isaac Tokura ready to add impetus at scrum-half and centre respectively.

Having been away this season, Semesa Coalala makes a welcome return to action at Old Bath Road as he aims to showcase his combination of fast footwork and power, with the substitutes rounded out by versatile Berkshire Under 20s ace Theo Pett-Ridge – the latter capable of playing at No. 10, centre or full-back.

The Army are the reigning Inter-Services champions and include the likes of former Newcastle Falcon Imi Qorowale among their ranks this evening.

Entry is free with food and drink on sale. Gates open at 6pm.

Development XV v British Army

(15-9, 1-8) Arnold, Rampton, Rhoads, Pannese, Mannhardt, Gilman, Hodgson; Bishop, MacRae, Lomas, Pitfield, Thomson (c), Paine, Hartley, Judd

Replacements: Bicknell, Mandozzi, Downing, Thomas, Eedes, Tokura, Coalala, Pett-Ridge