L'ESTRANGE LOOKS AHEAD

1st October 2012

Bulls hooker Heath L’Estange is hoping that 2013 will be sweeter in more ways than one.

The former NRL Grand final winner may have been part of one of the club’s most turbulent years off the field – but the team and his form were not affected on it as he enjoyed a third fine season in Super League.

That cumulated in the Bulls joint-captain featuring for the Exiles team and he now hopes to continue his strong form in order for him to get another chance to take his place in the Antipodeon line-up, as he casts his eye on playing in the club’s exciting new era.

He said: “I once played in a Prime Minister’s XIII team back home against Papa New Guinea and that was one of the proudest moments of my career.

“Playing for the Exiles was exactly the same and I would really like to play in it again.

“I know that a lot of people don’t really like it, but if it can just be tweaked a little bit I think it’s only going to benefit the English team.

“If you go out and play and win by sixty, it’s not going to help English players improve at all, but if you get them to play some former NRL players it’s definitely going to prepare them for those big games.

“It should be a real part of getting them ready for the World Cup because I think England’s time is coming.”

Regarding the Bulls prospects in 2013, he added: “This was a very tough year on all the boys with the fear of not being paid, but now that’s all off our chests and there’s no more pressure, so we have a fresh start.

“We’ve already got 16 players who are ready to go and hopefully a few other guys can agree to some deals so that we have a good team on the park.”

L’Estrange also speaks highly of the Bulls new owner, Omar Kahn, saying: “Omar’s just a laid back rugby fanatic and you can seewants to see this club do well after the pain it’s gone through this year.

“It’s good to have some someone who really cares and wants the heritage to live on.”