Robbie Hunter-Paul

Robert Rawiri "Robbie" Hunter-Paul (born 3 February 1976) is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer. He has since become a business owner and television pundit,[2] running Xtra Mile Marketing, an inbound and digital marketing company. Robbie retired from playing at the end of the 2011 season following a 19-season career with the Bradford Bulls, Harlequin FC, Huddersfield Giants, Salford City Reds and the Leigh Centurions. He then spent just under 2 years as business development manager at the Huddersfield Giants, and 3 years as CEO at the Bradford Bulls. Robbie played for the New Zealand Kiwis national team from 1997 - 2006. He is the younger brother of former New Zealand Kiwis and England Rugby player Henry Paul.

Robbie Hunter-Paul
Personal information
Full nameRobert (Robbie) Rawiri Hunter-Paul
BornRobert Rawiri Paul
(1976-02-03) 3 February 1976
Tokoroa, New Zealand
Playing information
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight87 kg (13 st 10 lb)
Rugby league
PositionScrum-half, Stand-off, Hooker, Fullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1994 Waitakere City 11 3 0 0 12
1994–05 Bradford Bulls 241 224 6 0 908
2006–07 Huddersfield Giants 52 7 0 0 31
2008–09 Salford City Reds 27 2 2 0 8
2010–11 Leigh Centurions 38 7 2 0 32
Total 369 243 10 0 991
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1997–06 New Zealand 29 13 2 0 56
Rugby union
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1996–97 Harlequins 10 3 0 0 15
Source: [1]

Background

Born in Tokoroa, New Zealand, his junior club was the Te Atatu Roosters in West Auckland. His mother, Gail, is of English descent and his father, Te Whata, known as Walter, is Maori (NZ indigenous).

Playing career

In the 1994 Lion Red Cup he played 11 games for the Waitakere City Raiders, scoring three tries.[3]

Bradford Bulls

Paul joined Bradford in July 1994 from New Zealand at the age of 18 and has since gone on to represent New Zealand. He made his debut for Bradford after months languishing in the reserves.

When Super League and summer rugby arrived, so did Australian coach Brian Smith, who made Paul captain. In the semi-final of the 1996 Challenge Cup, Bradford shocked traditional foes Leeds at Huddersfield.

Paul captained Bradford at scrum half back in the 1996 Challenge Cup Final and became the fourth player ever to achieve what was a Challenge Cup final record of three tries, being awarded the Lance Todd Trophy for man-of-the-match.[4] He was the 1996 Bradford Bulls season's top try scorer and still holds the record for most tries scored for the Bulls.

Paul went into his winter loan spell with rugby union club Harlequins.

Paul played for Bradford Bulls as his brother Henry's halves partner in the 1999 Super League Grand Final which was lost to St Helens R.F.C.. Paul was selected for the New Zealand team to compete in the end of season 1999 Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament. In the final against Australia he partnered his brother Henry in the halves, kicking six goals in the Kiwis' 22–20 loss.

Paul played for the Bradford Bulls as his brother Henry's halves partner in their 2001 Super League Grand Final victory against the Wigan Warriors. As Super League VI champions, the Bulls played against 2001 NRL Premiers, the Newcastle Knights in the 2002 World Club Challenge. Paul captained at stand-off half back and scored two tries in Bradford's victory. Paul played for Bradford Bulls at stand-off half back, scoring a try in their 2002 Super League Grand Final loss against St. Helens.

Paul playing for the Salford City Reds

Paul captained the Bulls to the "Treble" in 2003. He played for the Bradford Bulls from the interchange bench in their 2003 Super League Grand Final victory against the Wigan Warriors. He captained the Bulls to victory against Australian side Penrith Panthers in the 2004 World Club Challenge. He played for the Bradford Bulls at hooker in their 2004 Super League Grand Final loss against the Leeds Rhinos. The following year he played for the Bradford Bulls from the interchange bench in their 2005 Super League Grand Final victory against the Leeds Rhinos.

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.[5] Robbie Paul was voted the 1996 Super League Player of the season at 20 years of age.

Huddersfield Giants

At the start of 2006's Super League XI, Paul moved from Bradford Bulls to fellow West Yorkshire side Huddersfield Giants. He played at scrum half back in his 2006 Challenge Cup Final in August. Despite scoring a second-half try, his side lost 42–12 to St Helens R.F.C. at Twickenham stadium.

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
Paul playing for the Leigh Centurions

He signed with Co-operative Championship side Leigh Centurions for the 2010 season.[6] He retired at the end of the 2011 season.

Music

In 2000, alongside his brother Henry and Lazarus, he released a single with his band Massey, named after the town 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.[7]

Radio

Robbie used to host the weekly rugby league show 'The RHP Show' every Wednesday at 6pm on West Yorkshire's pulse 2 Radio Station. His contract was terminated in 2019

Television

Robbie Hunter-Paul regularly appears on the BBC's rugby league coverage including the Super League Show and the Challenge Cup games.

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".[8]

References
  1. Hunter-Paul, Robbie with Irvine, Chris. Robbie Rugby Warrior. Great Northern Books, 2012, ISBN 978-1905080-10-6.
  2. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1994, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1994. p.121
  4. "Lance Todd Trophy". thechallengecup.com. Rugby Football League. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  5. "Rugby legend Robbie Paul visits Holt House". Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  6. http://www.superleague.co.uk/article.php?id=14905
  7. Rugby's Rapping brothers. BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 May 2007.
  8. http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2011/01/19/robbie-paul-becomes-robbie-hunter-paul-after-marrying-his-huddersfield-bride-natalie-86081-28011475/
Bibliography
  • Hodgson, Phil. Odsal Odysseys – The History of Bradford Rugby League. Skipton, North Yorkshire, UK: Vertical Edition, 2006. ISBN 1-904091-14-8.
  • Hunter-Paul, Robbie with Irvine, Chris. Robbie Rugby Warrior. Great Northern Books, 2012, ISBN 978-1905080-10-6.
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