Leigh Leopards hooker Edwin Ipape is looking forward to getting his first taste of competitive action in the Betfred Super League and is ready to make the step up.
The 24-year-old joined Leigh Centurions, as they were named before their recent rebrand, last January and played his part in helping the club achieve promotion back to the top-flight from the Betfred Championship as they claimed the division title, the Championship Leaders’ Shield and the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup
Ipape was a shining star for Leigh last term and deservedly scooped up the Championship Player of the Year award and many are tipping him to pick up the Man of Steel award in 2023 as he gears up for his first campaign in the top-flight, something which he has been dreaming about.
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He told The Sportsman: “It’ll be a dream come true for me to finally get to play the first game in the Super League and I just can’t wait to get there.”
The Papua New Guinea international knows that there will be a huge step up from the Championship to the Super League, mainly due to the calibre of the players, but he embraces the challenge and thinks it will only improve his game.
“I think the Super League and Championship are both different types of competition. The Super League is going to be a lot more competitive, there are a lot of good players out there so I think it will be beneficial for myself too.”
Leigh Leopards get their Betfred Super League campaign underway with a home clash with Salford Red Devils on Friday 17 February with a kick-off time of 8pm.
