By Helen Thompson

Published at 09:55, Thursday, 10 March 2011

RISING Super League star James Donaldson is on his way back from an horrific injury that forced him to miss the majority of last season.

Former Wath Brow Hornets packman Donaldson, now making his way with the Bradford Bulls, has been out for seven months following a knee reconstruction.

But he featured for the Bulls’ under-20 side at the weekend as they went down 36-20 against Wakefield at Belle Vue.

Donaldson was only allowed restricted game time but he came through unscathed and is named in the Bulls’ under-20 side who travel to Huddersfield Giants tonight.

He had already established a place in Bradford Bulls’ back-row when he snapped both anterior and medial cruciate ligaments in his left knee in a Challenge Cup defeat against Warrington in June, bringing a premature end to his first full season in Super League.

The youngster was boosted recently with the news that he had been included in the new England Knights set-up, along with Whitehaven-born Wigan star Jason Mossop and former Workington Town hooker Shaun Lunt, now with the Giants.

And the Knights are set to go into camp for the first time this weekend with England boss Steve McNamara keen to get under way.

“The England Knights will be at RAF Cranwell this weekend with the aim of developing the right environment similarly to what was achieved with the Elite Training Squad,” added McNamara.

“The players selected for the Knights squad all have an ambition of being part of the ETS. Everyone can fight for a place and so can the players who have missed out this time around. We have a system that’s aimed at putting pressure on the selected players to remain in this group.

“These players all want to stay in this group and make the England squad, but there are a whole host of players who are breathing down their necks looking for an England shirt come Test time.”

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk