MARK APPLEGARTH has named one change to his York Knights squad, with a long-term absentee back involved with the squad.

The Knights will host Sheffield Eagles on Sunday, June 30 (3pm) at the LNER Community Stadium for Applegarth’s first home match in charge of York, as he looks for a third straight win after last Sunday’s historic 34-24 win over Featherstone Rovers.

York’s head coach has named one change, as long-term absentee James Cunningham returns to the squad in place of Ukuma Ta’ai.

The hooker’s involvement was teased by Applegarth, who has been pleased by the progress of Cunningham, previously telling the Press: "We’re there or thereabouts. “There’s Cunno too. He’s coming along nicely and he’s back in training with us now, so I can’t see him being too far off.

“There’s troops coming round the corner, but the main thing for me is that it’s that next man mentality.

“It’s an opportunity for someone else to keep that shirt.

“If we carry on how we are, they’ll give me a lot of selection headaches, which is what you want.”

YORK KNIGHTS: 12. Bailey, 2. Brown, 40. Cook, 21. Cunningham, 1. Dagger, 19. Daley, 11. Field, 10. Fitzsimmons, 38. Gannon, 7. Harris, 22. Hingano, 9. Jubb, 4. Keinhorst, 17. Michael, 29. Potter, 30. Reynolds, 16. Santi, 15. Teanby, 13. Thompson, 28. Ward, 14. Williams

Sheffield Eagles have also named their preliminary squad for their visit to the LNER Community Stadium on Sunday, with an array of former Knights within their ranks. 

James Glover, Matty Marsh, Ben Jones-Bishop, Anthony Thackeray and Mitch Clark have all been named in Mark Aston's Sheffield squad, having all previously represented York in the past.