Henry Paul

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Henry Paul bigraphy, stories - English rugby union player

Henry Paul : biography

10 February 1974 –

Henry Paul (born 10 February 1974) was a dual code rugby league and rugby union international. Paul has previously represented New Zealand in rugby league and England in rugby union XV’s and 7’s. He currently holds the world record for the most consecutive kicks on the field.

Paul’s usual position is at loose forward/Lock. He can also operate in the back row. He made his name as a dynamic stand-off. He is currently playing at centre for rugby union, and has previously played at fly-half.

He currently lives in Leeds with his girlfriend, close to his brother Robbie Hunter-Paul, also a New Zealand international.

Coaching career

Paul was released from Leeds in 2010 to embark on his coaching career as he signed up as the assistant coach of Russia. skysports.com, 7 June 2010.

Paul started his role coaching Russia at the 2010 Churchill Cup in the United States. He then coached them during the 2010-2012 European Nations Cup First Division and at the 2011 Churchill Cup held in England. Russia played some brilliant attacking rugby in their games in the Churchill Cup, coming close against Italy A and the United States.

Henry took the side to the 2011 Rugby World Cup with Kingsley Jones as head coach. Russia’s results did not provide a fair reflection of some of the rugby they produced. The ITV coverage stated that Russia produced two of the best tries of the weekend against Ireland, attributing to Henry’s impressive coaching skills.

Wakefield Trinity

Paul’s form on the Junior, and then subsequently New Zealand team tour, did not go unnoticed by astute talent scouts in England and in the off season of 1993/94 he joined the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats of the English Rugby Football League Championship and was highly impressive, especially against the almost invincible at the time – Wigan Warriors, where he almost pulled off the upset of the century against a team of legends including but to name just a few – Dean Bell, Dennis Betts, Shaun Edwards, Andy Farrell, Martin Offiah and Va’aiga Tuigamala.

Wigan

Paul in action for Harlequins. Paul joined Wigan Warriors for the 1994–95 Rugby Football League season and quickly established himself in the squad. At the end of Super Leagues first season, he was named at stand-off half in the 1996 Super League Dream Team. He played at stand-off half back for Wigan Warriors in their 1998 Super League Grand Final victory against Leeds Rhinos.

Bradford

In September 1998, at the end of his contract he moved to the Bradford Bulls, whom he helped beat his former club Wigan in the 2001 Super League Grand Final. When he was at Bradford he set a goalkicking record for consecutive goals (35), as well as for points in a season at the club.

He won the Lance Todd Trophy for his performance in the 2000 Challenge Cup victory over the Leeds Rhinos.

Back to New Zealand

He returned to New Zealand for the 1994 season, playing five matches for the Waitakere City Raiders in the new Lion Red Cup. He originally signed for the new Auckland Warriors club who were to enter the Australian Rugby League in 1995 but they released him as part of a deal that allowed Andy Platt to join Auckland from Wigan.

Early career

Born in Tokoroa, New Zealand, Paul started playing rugby union at the age of three for Ponsonby Rugby Football Club and then rugby league for the Te Atatu Roosters. Later, during his time at Rutherford High School (1990), he became a highly talented player at Under-16 level, where he led his team to break many Auckland club rugby league team and individual records. The following year, Paul moved to the Point Chevalier Pirates where he continued to harness his talents as one of the most talented junior rugby league players in the history of Auckland Rugby League.

In the 1992 season he returned to Te Atatu, debuting in their Senior Premier team at just 18 years of age where he played an integral part in his team making the pinnacle of the Auckland Rugby League finals – the Fox Memorial Cup. That off season, Paul was selected as a utility player for the Under-19 Auckland side, playing a major part in his team winning the national tournament. Following that success, Paul was selected as the Junior Kiwis captain to tour England that same off season.