Henry Paul
Encyclopedia
- This article is about the rugby player. See Henry Paul (musician)Henry Paul (musician)Henry Paul is an American southern rock and country singer/songwriter who was a founding member of the Southern rock band Outlaws, the front man and founder of the Henry Paul Band and the lead singer for the country band BlackHawk.-Early life:Henry was born in Kingston, New York and lived on a...
for the article about the southern rock/country musician and Henri PaulHenri PaulHenri Paul was the Deputy Head of Security at the Hôtel Ritz Paris. He was the driver at the time of the car accident at the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris that killed him along with Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed on 31 August 1997. Bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones was the sole survivor of...
for the article about the person involved with the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Henry Paul (born 10 February 1974 in Tokoroa
Tokoroa
Tokoroa is the third-largest town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand and largest settlement in the South Waikato district. Located 30 km southwest of Rotorua, close to the foot of the Mamaku Ranges, it is mid-way between Taupo and Hamilton on State Highway One...
, New Zealand), is a dual code rugby international. Paul has previously represented New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
in rugby league and England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
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 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 10.
He currently lives in Leeds with his girlfriend, close to his brother Robbie Paul
Robbie Paul
Robert Rawiri 'Robbie' Hunter-Paul is a New Zealand rugby league player. He currently plays for Leigh Centurions in England. He played for the New Zealand national team 27 times. He is the younger brother of Leeds Carnegie player Henry Paul.-Early years:Born in Tokoroa, New Zealand, his junior...
, also a New Zealand international.
Early career
Paul started playing rugby union at the age of three with the 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 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 New Zealand Juniors (Junior Kiwis) Captain to tour England that same off season.
Paul led by example when his team looked "out of sorts", guiding them to memorable victories against their Great Britain counterparts. His form was so inspiring that he earned full New Zealand representative honours on the same tour, when the senior team (The New Zealand Kiwis) hit an injury crisis on a corresponding tour of Britain. Paul, at just 18 years of age, gained his test debut as a substitute against France.
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 Wakefield TrinityWakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
in 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, Martin Offiah, Shaun Edwards, Andy Farrell and Va'aiga Tuigamala.
Back to New Zealand
He returned to New Zealand for the 1994 season, playing five matches for the Waitakere City RaidersWaitakere City Raiders
The Waitakere City Raiders were a New Zealand rugby league club that represented Waitakere City in the Lion Red Cup from 1994 to 1996.-Notable players:...
in the new Lion Red Cup
Lion Red Cup
The Lion Red Cup was a New Zealand domestic rugby league competition that ran from 1994-1996 sponsored by brewers Lion Nathan. It was created due to the increase in public awareness of domestic rugby league due to the Auckland Warriors being accepted into the Winfield Cup. The competition was a...
. He originally signed for the new Auckland Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
club who were to enter the Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
in 1995 but they released him as part of a deal that allowed Andy Platt
Andy Platt
Andy Platt is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Great Britain international representative prop forward, he played for English clubs St Helens, Wigan, Widnes and Salford, as well as in New Zealand for the Auckland Warriors.-Playing career:He started his...
to join Auckland from Wigan.
Wigan
He then went on to join Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
for the 1994–1995 season and quickly established himself in the squad. He stayed with the Club until 1998.
Bradford
In September 1998, at the end of his contract he moved to Bradford BullsBradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
, whom he helped beat his former club Wigan in the Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
Grand Final in the autumn of 2001. 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
Lance Todd Trophy
The Lance Todd Trophy is awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in rugby league football's Challenge Cup Final.The trophy was introduced in 1946, in memory of Lance Todd, the New Zealand-born player and administrator, who was killed in a road accident during the Second World War...
for his performance in the 2000 Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
victory over Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
.
International Rugby League
In international football he received 23 caps for New ZealandNew Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
. Upon his return from rugby union in 2006 he qualified for both New Zealand and Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
.
Move to rugby union
Paul had previously spoken to National Rugby LeagueNational Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
club Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
and Super 12 clubs Auckland Blues and Waikato Chiefs. However, he was finally tempted away from the Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
, to play rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
for Gloucester Rugby
Gloucester RFC
Gloucester Rugby are a professional English rugby union club situated in the west country city of Gloucester. The club plays in the domestic Aviva Premiership...
, by Tom Walkinshaw
Tom Walkinshaw
Tom Walkinshaw was a Scottish racing car driver and the founder of the racing team Tom Walkinshaw Racing...
and Philippe Saint-André
Philippe Saint-André
Philippe Georges Saint-André is a former French rugby union footballer who earned 69 test caps for France between 1990 and 1997, 34 of them as captain. His preferred position was wing but he could also play at Fullback. After retiring, Saint-André found success as a rugby coach in both England and...
.
He had a dream début for Gloucester scoring 28 points against Caerphilly RFC
Caerphilly RFC
Caerphilly Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team founded in 1887. Their home ground is Virginia Park in Caerphilly and their nickname is The Cheesemen. Caerphilly RFC currently play in the WRU Division One East and are a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons.Caerphilly RFC also run a...
. A prolific goal kicker and a gifted runner and distributor, Paul began a four year contract at Kingsholm
Gloucester RFC
Gloucester Rugby are a professional English rugby union club situated in the west country city of Gloucester. The club plays in the domestic Aviva Premiership...
in 2001 and won national squad selection after just one game for Gloucester Rugby
Gloucester RFC
Gloucester Rugby are a professional English rugby union club situated in the west country city of Gloucester. The club plays in the domestic Aviva Premiership...
.
His early days at Gloucester were turbulent, compared to the unqualified domestic success that he had in later years at the club. He was even linked with a return his former club Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
, Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
and a move to NRL club Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
and a reunion with former coach at Bradford
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
Matthew Elliott.
Having experimented with being a fullback, and fly-half he settled into the inside centre position and his long passing stood well with Gloucester's style of play. He had his best year with Gloucester Rugby in 2004 where he won the club's season ticket holders’ player of the year award and was also nominated for the Zurich Premiership player of the year award alongside Bruce Reihana
Bruce Reihana
Bruce Trevor Reihana is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He is an utility back and currently plays professional rugby for Union Bordeaux Bègles....
, Mark van Gisbergen
Mark van Gisbergen
Mark van Gisbergen is a rugby union footballer who plays at full back for Lyon and England. He is nicknamed 'Giz' or 'Gizzy'....
, Mark Robinson
Mark Robinson
Mark Robinson may refer to:Politics*Mark Robinson *Mark Robinson *Mark Robinson *Mark Allan Robinson , Canadian political activistSports...
and Simon Shaw
Simon Shaw
Simon Dalton Shaw MBE is an English rugby union player who plays at lock for Toulon and England.-Biography:...
.
England international
With his switch to rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, he controversially decided to play for England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
(due to the fact he could only play for the New Zealand national side if he played in Super 12) rather than New Zealand
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
. Although he was born in New Zealand, he qualified for England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
through his Liverpudlian
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
grandfather.
He won his first England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
cap as a replacement against France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
in 2002 but has only managed to win a handful of caps since then, mostly during the 2004 Six Nations, coming off the bench in Rome and Murrayfield
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
. He was also considered man of the match for England A against France A in March 2004 – with five penalties and a conversion, and all round play of high class.
He excelled for the England Sevens
England national rugby union team (sevens)
The English national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.-Honours:* 1973 International Seven-A-Side Tournament - Winners* Rugby World Cup Sevens Winners 1993* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2002* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2003*...
side and was a member of the 2002 Commonwealth Games and 2006 Commonwealth Games
Rugby Sevens at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were the third Games at which Rugby sevens was played. It is one of the male-only sports at the Commonwealth Games, the other being Boxing. The venue for the Rugby Sevens was the Telstra Dome, on the western edge of Melbourne's Central Business District...
squads, winning a silver medal in 2006. Paul also was the acting captain of England Sevens when it won the USA Sevens tournament in 2006. He was also a member of the England A team that won the 2003 Churchill Cup
Churchill Cup
The Churchill Cup was an annual rugby union tournament, held in June, contested by representative men's teams from Canada, England, the United States, and other invited teams from a wide array of countries....
in Canada and returned there again on the 2004 Churchill Cup
Churchill Cup
The Churchill Cup was an annual rugby union tournament, held in June, contested by representative men's teams from Canada, England, the United States, and other invited teams from a wide array of countries....
tour.
Harlequins RL
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
joining Harlequins Rugby League. The London side beat off competition from the Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
to secure his signature.
His brother Robbie Paul
Robbie Paul
Robert Rawiri 'Robbie' Hunter-Paul is a New Zealand rugby league player. He currently plays for Leigh Centurions in England. He played for the New Zealand national team 27 times. He is the younger brother of Leeds Carnegie player Henry Paul.-Early years:Born in Tokoroa, New Zealand, his junior...
plays rugby league for Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
, having played with Paul at Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
before a spell at Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
. Paul faced Robbie in his first game back in Super League on 29 April 2006.
Paul moved into the back-row upon his return to rugby league, where forwards are typically smaller than in rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, and intended to retire at the end of the 2008
Super League XIII
Engage Super League XIII was the official name, due to sponsorship, for the 2008 Super League season by Engage Mutual. Twelve teams competed for the Minor Premiership over 27 rounds after which, the top 6 finishing teams entered the play-offs where they competed for a place in the Grand Final and...
season.
Man of Steel Awards controversy
In 2007 Paul appeared drunk at the Super LeagueSuper League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
's Man of Steel Award's dinner. Paul had slurred his acceptance speech when he received the Frontline Fairplay Index Award, awarded for good behaviour on the field, on behalf of the club.
Paul has since apologised for his actions. Quins Chairman Ian Lenagan
Ian Lenagan
Ian Lenagan is a Business entrepreneur, theatre producer and shareholder of Harlequins RL & Oxford United FC as well as chairman and owner of Wigan Warriors-Early life:...
stated that the drama had not jeopardised the player's new 12-month contract.
2008
Paul has taken over the goal kicking responsibilities from the departed Paul Sykes. Harlequins coach Brian McDermottBrian McDermott
Brian G. McDermott is an English professional rugby league football coach and former player. He started as Head Coach of Harlequins RL of Super League on 8 July 2006 and departs on 4 September 2010.-Biography:...
is desperate for the veteran to extend the autumn of his career beyond the end of the current season. Paul had admitted he wants to carry on playing next season and hinted he would like to remain at the club.
Leeds Carnegie
He had been linked with a return to rugby union with Leeds Carnegie. But the move was initially seen as unlikely due to the team being recently relegated from the Guinness PremiershipGuinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
. One newspaper has reported that he has already signed for the National Division One-bound club.
The 34-year-old switched codes and joined Leeds' National League One campaign at the end of the 2007/08 Super League season. He has agreed a two-year deal at Headingley
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
.
Henry played at centre and number ten for the two years at Carnegie. While in the championship he captained the side to their biggest victory in Carnegie history against Manchester and captained the side a numerous times, getting man of the match on several occasions. He helped Carnegie get promoted up into the premiership and when in the premiership he won man of the match several times.
Coaching career
Paul was released from Leeds in 2010 to embark on his coaching career as he signed up as the assistant coach of the Russian rugby union teamRussia national rugby union team
The Russian National Rugby Union Team, is the national team representing Russia at the sport of rugby union.Rugby union in Russia is administered by the Rugby Union of Russia . The RUR is the official successor union of the Soviet Union and the combined CIS team which played in the early 1990s...
.
Paul started his role coaching Russia in the Churchill cup in the US. He then saw them through the lesser known six nations tournament and a further 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 USA.
Henry took the side to the World cup with Kingsley Jones as head coach. Russia's results did not provide a fair reflection of some of 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.
Rotherham Titans
In 2010, Paul signed for Championship side Rotherham Titans.Paul did not stay long at the club due to work commitments with Russia putting him out of the country for most of the year.