Robbie Paul
Encyclopedia
Robert Rawiri 'Robbie' Hunter-Paul (born 3 February 1976) 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
.
, New Zealand
, his junior club was the Te Atatu Roosters
in West Auckland
. He currently lives in West Yorkshire
.
In the 1994 Lion Red Cup he played 11 games for the Waitakere City Raiders
, scoring three tries.
in July 1994 from New Zealand at the age of 18 and has since gone on to represent his country. In 1996, he became the first player to score a hat-trick in a Rugby League Challenge Cup
final at Wembley, doing so against St Helens, in a performance that earned him the Lance Todd Trophy
as Man of the Match.
He captained the Bulls to the "Treble" in 2003 and to victory against Australian side Penrith
in the 2004 World Club Challenge. His Bradford Bulls testimonial was played on 27 January 2006 against Hull Kingston Rovers
at Odsal Stadium
. He has been included in Bradford's; 'Millennium Masters', 'Bull Masters', and in August 2007 he was named in the 'Team Of The Century'. Only six players have been included in all three lists.
to fellow West Yorkshire
side Huddersfield Giants
. He went on to appear in his sixth Challenge Cup Final in August 2006. Despite scoring a second-half try, Huddersfield Giants lost 42-12 to St Helens at Twickenham
.
for the 2010 season.
in New Zealand where the Paul brothers grew up. They had played a couple of dates by the end of 2000 and previously released a cover version of 'Ain't no stopping us now' in 1999.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
rugby league
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...
player. He currently plays for Leigh Centurions
Leigh Centurions
Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He played for the 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...
national team 27 times. He is the younger brother of Leeds Carnegie player Henry Paul
Henry Paul
Henry Paul , is a dual code rugby 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 loose forward/Lock. He can also operate in...
.
Early years
Born in TokoroaTokoroa
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
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, his junior club was the Te Atatu Roosters
Te Atatu Roosters
The Te Atatu Roosters is a rugby league club based in Te Atatu. The Roosters compete in the Fox Memorial, the premier division in Auckland Rugby League...
in West Auckland
West Auckland
West Auckland is a village in County Durham, in North East England. It is situated to the west of Bishop Auckland, on the A688 road.It is not known exactly when West Auckland was first inhabited, but there is evidence of Auckland West in the history of St. Cuthbert in the 11th century...
. He currently lives in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
.
In the 1994 Lion Red Cup he played 11 games for the Waitakere City Raiders
Waitakere 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:...
, scoring three tries.
Name change
On 17 December 2010, Robbie married Natalie Hunter in Auckland, New Zealand, at a ceremony attended by many of the world’s greatest rugby players and duly changed his surname to incorporate "Hunter".Bradford Bulls
Paul joined BradfordBradford 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....
in July 1994 from New Zealand at the age of 18 and has since gone on to represent his country. In 1996, he became the first player to score a hat-trick in a Rugby League 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....
final at Wembley, doing so against St Helens, in a performance that earned him 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...
as Man of the Match.
He captained the Bulls to the "Treble" in 2003 and to victory against Australian side Penrith
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...
in the 2004 World Club Challenge. His Bradford Bulls testimonial was played on 27 January 2006 against Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
at Odsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
. He has been included in Bradford's; 'Millennium Masters', 'Bull Masters', and in August 2007 he was named in the 'Team Of The Century'. Only six players have been included in all three lists.
Harlequins RU
Robbie Paul Voted the 1996 Super League Player of the season at 20 years of age, went into his winter loan spell with Harlequins R.U. team aiming to improve his game, also to promote and give links for both RL-RU transfers for the 1997 season, Also used like in the 13 man code of being a franchise player he was given the opportunity of being part of NEC Harlequins not only for a loan spell, also to promote rugby league to the masses of the 15 man code.Huddersfield Giants
At the start of the 2006 Super League season (Super League XI), he moved from 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....
to fellow West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
side 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....
. He went on to appear in his sixth Challenge Cup Final in August 2006. Despite scoring a second-half try, Huddersfield Giants lost 42-12 to St Helens at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
.
Salford City Reds
In September 2007, it was announced that he had signed for the Salford City Reds on a two year deal. This was seen as something of a coup for the club, as they had just been relegated from the Super League.Leigh Centurions
He signed with Co-operative Championship side Leigh CenturionsLeigh Centurions
Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...
for the 2010 season.
Music
In 2000, alongside his brother Henry and a friend, he released a single with his band Massey, named after the townMassey, New Zealand
Massey is a north-western suburb of the Auckland conurbation. It was formerly a northern suburb of Waitakere City which existed from 1989 to 2010, before being replaced by the Auckland Council. The suburb was named after former Prime Minister of New Zealand William Massey...
in New Zealand where the Paul brothers grew up. They had played a couple of dates by the end of 2000 and previously released a cover version of 'Ain't no stopping us now' in 1999.