England Counties squad member Francis Entressengle believes Huddersfield RU have a solid platform from which to attack National II North.

The 27-year-old hooker played a leading role in the Lockwood Park side’s unbeaten 2016-17 campaign, when they took the National III title in dominant style.

Entressengle was happy to sign up again for head coach Gareth Lewis, confident the club are planning in the right way for future combat.

Several signings have already been made with others on the way, and Entressengle – who leaves with England Counties today for a two-match tour in Spain – believes things are looking good.

“I signed up pretty quickly knowing what the club were planning to put together,” said the Yorkshire County player.

“The management was one of the reasons I came back to the club and they have learned from past experiences, learned the lessons of relegation and we are in a good place.

“I feel we have a good platform to work on, even though National II will be a really competitive and tough league. We have a position from which we can build.”

Entressengle says the ethos within the playing squad and the club means they are primed for more success.

Francis Entressengle in action for Huddersfield Rugby Union Club Mel Booth 01484 437715

“We are ambitious in that in the next few years we want to push towards National I if we can, although that will depend on budgets and players coming and going,” he explained.

“As a club, though, we are ambitious to get to those levels and I’m thinking really positively, because we are retaining a lot of players for next season and there is a lot of interest from players coming from outside.

“And I don’t think the ethos and culture has changed either – we are keen to get competing at the next level.”

Entressengle feels Huddersfield’s only senior defeat last season, at National II Otley in the Yorkshire Cup, gave them a timely reminder of what will be required next term.

“Otley was much needed,” he remarked of the 34-14 defeat.

“If we had gone through the whole season unbeaten then I think there might have been some complacency, but having been taught a few lessons by Otley there will be none of that.

“Personally, I felt a little bit under weight and, maybe, we need to look at our front row a little bit differently as well.

“There will be different teams, different styles and different tactics in National II, but we have every confidence in Gaz (Lewis) and Phil (Gostling) to continue to bring the right people in and get our training and preparation spot on.”