Paul Sculthorpe

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Paul Sculthorpe
fullname = Paul Sculthorpe
nickname = Scully


image_size= 200px
caption =
country =
position = Loose forward
currentclub = leagueicon|St Helens|size=16 St Helens
clubnumber = 13
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1977|9|22
placeofbirth = Burnley
countryofbirth = England
height = height|ft=6|in=3
weight = 16 st 1 lb (102 kg)
club1 = leagueicon|Warrington|size=16 Warrington Wolves
year1start = 1996
year1end = 1997
appearances1 = 78
tries1 =
goals1 =
fieldgoals1 =
points1 = 69
club2 = leagueicon|St Helens|size=16 St Helens
year2start = 1997
year2end = 2008
appearances2 = 247
tries2 =
goals2 =
fieldgoals2 =
points2 = 1232
teamA = Flagicon|England England
yearAstart = 1996
yearAend =
appearancesA = 4
triesA =
goalsA =
fieldgoalsA =
pointsA = 16
teamB = Flagicon|Great Britain Great Britain
yearBstart = 1996
yearBend = 2006
appearancesB = 26
triesB =
goalsB =
fieldgoalsB =
pointsB = 26
updated =
source =
new = yes

Paul Sculthorpe (born in Burnley, Lancashire on September 22 1977 but grew up in Oldham, Greater Manchester), is a retired rugby league footballer who played for St Helens, and is nicknamed "Scully". He has won a total of four Grand Finals, three Challenge Cups and two World Club Challenges with St Helens. He is the older brother of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats player Danny Sculthorpe.

Educated in Oldham at Counthill School, Paul joined Saints from Warrington Wolves as a 20 year-old in a £370,000 record deal for a forward, and has fulfilled that early potential, being named as Man of Steel in 2001 and 2002, becoming the first player to retain the award.Fact|date=August 2008 He was Saints’ sole representative in the 2002 Super League Dream Team, a feat he repeated in 2004.Fact|date=August 2008

In 2004, his first season as captain, he lifted the Challenge Cup after Saints’ 32-16 win over Wigan Warriors at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. He also joined a select band of players to have scored 100 tries and 100 goals in Super League, and in 2005 scored his 1000th point for Saints.Fact|date=August 2008 Paul has been one of Great Britain’s leading performers in recent years, and it was no surprise when he was named as captain in 2005.

Having been ruled out for the most of the 2005 season and prevented him from leading the side in the Gillette Tri-Nations tournament.

He is one of the stars of the world game and also the face of Gillette. Sculthorpe's deal with razor giants Gillette is the most lucrative sponsorship deal made by any rugby league player world wide.Fact|date=August 2008

In March 2006, Sculthorpe signed a deal with Random House to publish his no-holds barred autobiography, "Man of Steel", which was published in August 2007.Fact|date=August 2008

In September 2007 he signed a new 12-month contract with St Helens which saw him celebrate his Testimonial Season at the club.

After an injury hit 2008 campaign with only a handful of games played, St Helens announced they would release Sculthorpe at the end of the season. He was being touted as a potential signing for Salford City Reds, or join up with brother Danny at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in time for the 2009 Super League season. [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/st_helens/7559207.stm|title=St Helens to let Sculthorpe leave|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2008-08-13|accessdate=2008-08-13] However, Sculthorpe announced his retirement from the game on 19 September 2008. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/super_league/st_helens/7626335.stm |title=Saints legend Sculthorpe retires |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2008-09-19 |accessdate=2008-09-19]

References

External links

* [http://www.saintsrlfc.com/player/13 Saints profile]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/st_helens/7198849.stm Sculthorpe open to England return]
* [http://www.paulsculthorpe.co.uk Paul Sculthorpe Official Website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/paulsculthorpe Paul Sculthorpe Official Testimonial myspace]