A long line of top-quality Leicester Tigers hookers can be traced back to the 453 appearances made by Doug Norman in the years immediately after the First World War.

Originally a full-back or wing then a flanker, Leicester-born Norman made the hooker’s jersey his own after First World War military service had delayed the start of his first-class career. Despite his impressive service with Tigers, he had to wait until his 35^th year before picking up his two England caps, on the back of playing in the famous win by Leicestershire and East Midlands against South Africa in 1931.

He ended his career with the Tigers captaincy in 1932/33, that season also saw Norman leave the field with an injury for the first time in more than a decade of first-team service, and later became fixture secretary and president.