IN another edition of our Bradford sports stars questionnaires, 22-year-old rugby league prospect Ollie Bartle tells us about his love for Bulls, Carol Vorderman, lifting a trophy at West Bowling and selects his dream line-up.

Name: Ollie Bartle

Date of Birth: 05-02-1998

Area I live: BD6

Team I play for: West Bowling

School I attended: Queensbury School

Occupation: Electrician

Previous teams: Queensbury Juniors, West Bowling Juniors, Huddersfield Giants Scholarship, Bradford Bulls Academy

Honours gained: Bradford Bulls Academy Most Improved (2017), West Bowling Player of the Year (2019)

Q1: When did you first start playing rugby and what attracted you to it?

A: My dad introduced me to the game when I was about nine years old. I was a small lad but I loved the physical side of the game.

Q2: What do you enjoy most about playing rugby for your current team?

A: Playing with a bunch of lads who have all come through the West Bowling set-up, and are also good mates off the field.

Q3: What’s been the highlight of your rugby days so far?

A: Winning the National Conference League Division Two title last year with West Bowling was pretty good and being acknowledged by my coaches as a big contributor to that was nice.

Q4: Who has had the most influence on you as a rugby player and in what way?

A: Jamie Peacock. He always led from the front and had a no nonsense attitude.

Q5: What’s your aims in rugby?

A: To retire with no injuries before 30 and have won the lot.

Q6: Tell us something nice about one of your teammates (and don’t forget to tell us who it is?)

A: Danny Halmshaw. He always shares his sweets on the bus back after a game.

Q7: What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen or been involved in on a rugby field?

A: When I got sent off for booting the ball on to Manchester Road. It was pretty funny.

Q8: If you could pluck any player out of the Super League to play in your team, who would it be and why?

A: Ethan Ryan. He’s a good mate and our back line is questionable under the high ball.

Q9: Which rugby team do you support and what’s been your favourite moment watching them?

A: Bradford Bulls. There haven’t been many since I started watching, but probably the Challenge Cup win against Leeds last year.

Q10: What’s been the most memorable match you’ve played in and why was it so memorable?

A: Hard question. I’ll go with the Dudley Hill match at home last year. We won the Division Two title that day and beat them after they’d give us a lesson earlier in the year.

Q11: How would you sum up/describe the team that you play for?

A: Skilful and physical.

Q12: Tell us something about you that your teammates wouldn’t know?

A: I actually do pluck my eyebrows.

Q13: Do you have a set routine in terms of preparation on a match day?

A: I have my breakfast an hour before we meet and do a couple of weekend jobs in the morning.

Q14: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

A: Don’t drop the ball.

Q15: What would you say is the easiest position to play in rugby?

A: Wing. You catch the high ball, scoot once a set and take your chances.

Q16: If you could choose to play rugby at any venue in the world, where would it be and why?

A: Emsleys Rec, it’s the Wembley of the North!

Q17: How much of your life does rugby take up?

A: Too much.

Q18: If as a rugby player you had a celebrity fan, who would you want it to be and why?

A: Carol Vorderman. I used to love watching her on Countdown.

Q19: What or who motivates you ahead of a match?

A: My dad. He tells me I am not getting any tea if I play poorly.

Q20: Do you have a motto that you follow in rugby?

A: No, but run harder than them and you’ll go all right.

Q21: What lessons for life have you learned through rugby?

A: It’s taught a lot of self-discipline.

Q22: List your rugby dream team with you in it (any player, any team, any level, any era):

1: Brandon Pickersgill, 2: Ethan Ryan, 3: Dan Gregory, 4: Ross Oakes, 5: Andrew Bentley, 6: Harry Williams, 7: Jake Trueman, 8: Lewis Reed, 9: Dan Halmshaw, 10: Paul Anderson, 11: Richard Lumb, 12: Brad Hill, 13: Ollie Bartle, 14: Joe Lumb, 15: Max Trueman.