THE man handed the job of guiding York Wasps back into the big time is upcoming Australian coach Leo Epifania.

The 36-year-old was unveiled at the club's long-awaited press conference today, although due to other business commitments was unable to be in attendance at the unveiling at the Holiday Inn, off tadcaster Road.

His contract at the Huntington Stadium is set to start on October 1.

The new-look Wasps - who also announced the New York Economic Development Council as their major new sponsors along with world-renowned companies Samsung and Gillette - have set themselves a three-year plan to win promotion to the Super League.

And Epifania - noted Down Under as a fitness fanatic - will be at the forefront of their bid to break into the big time.

Hailing from Sydney, he made over 100 appearances in the ARL between 1984 and 1992, firstly with Western Suburbs Magpies up to 1990 and then with Illawara Steelers.

Thereafter he completed two season in France with the Cahors Club followed by three seasons with Guildford, who play in the Sydney Metropolitan Cup competition.

From 1996 to '98, he was captain and coach of young players in the New South Wales Group Nine country competition team, and in the following two years was assistant to Steve Goshn, the former North Sydney Bears and Western Suburbs coach, at Guildford.

Epifania, who holds full Italian European Union passport due to his dual nationality, is also a director of a personal fitness business in Sydney and is involved in personal training programmes for many Australian athletes in a variety of sports, including swimmers at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

A statement by the Wasps said: "It is the opinion of the directors of York Wasps that after considering applications from many perspective coaches, none of them could bring what we felt was the flair and forward thinking that Leo will bring."

One of Epifania's first jobs at Huntington Stadium will be to announce the new players lined up for the Wasps.

The club have at least ten new names set to join, some of whom have international experience, and the directors believe today signals the dawn of a bright new era in York rugby league history.

The Wasps finished a crisis-fuelled last season bottom of the Northern Ford Premiership but have overcome crippling debts and are optimistic for the future. Only last month they launched an audacious bid to break into Super League by taking over London Broncos and, although that proved unsuccessful, the club are confident that exciting times lie ahead.

Their statement added: "The directors, who work closely with each other, are pleased that within 12 months they have steered the club from the brink of extinction with massive debts to a club with no debts, making a decent trading profit and obtaining international sponsorship deals enabling the club to sign a top Australian coach and top class players."

Updated: 11:59 Tuesday, September 18, 2001