Paul Sculthorpe
Encyclopedia
Paul Sculthorpe is an English retired rugby league
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A Great Britain international representative /, and /, he played club football for St. Helens, with whom he won a total of four Grand Finals, three Challenge Cups and two World Club Challenges. He is the older brother of Widnes Vikings
player Danny Sculthorpe
.
, Greater Manchester
. Educated at Counthill School
, he started his professional career with Warrington Wolves
as a 20 year-old, and shortly after that made his debut for England.
In 1996 he was named in the Super League Dream Team
.
St. Helens paid £300,000 for Paul Sculthorpe when he moved from Warrington Wolves in 1997 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £469,000 in 2009).
In the 1997 post season, Sculthorpe was selected to play for Great Britain
at loose forward in all three matches of the Super League Test series
against Australia.
He was named as Man of Steel in 2001 and 2002, becoming the first player to retain the award. He was Saints’ sole representative in the 2002 Super League Dream Team
, a feat he repeated in 2004.
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. 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.
In March 2006, Sculthorpe signed a deal with Random House
to publish his autobiography, Man of Steel, which was published in August 2007 .
Having been named Great Britain captain he only ever captained the side for 18 minutes. This came in the one off test game at Knowsley road in 2006, between Great Britain and New Zealand. He was forced off after injuring his knee.
Sculthorpe was named man-of-the-match in St. Helens' win over the Brisbane Broncos in the 2007 World Club Challenge
. In September 2007 he signed a new 12-month contract with St Helens which saw him celebrate his Testimonial Season at the club.
Paul's final game for St. Helens was in the 2008 Challenge Cup final, where he injured his shoulder in the opening minutes.
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. However, Sculthorpe announced his retirement from the game on 19 September 2008.
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...
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A Great Britain international representative /, and /, he played club football for St. Helens, with whom he won a total of four Grand Finals, three Challenge Cups and two World Club Challenges. He is the older brother of 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...
player Danny Sculthorpe
Danny Sculthorpe
Danny Sculthorpe is an English professional rugby league footballer. Born in Oldham, Greater Manchester, he currently plays as a prop for Widnes Vikings....
.
Early years
Sculthorpe grew up in OldhamOldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
. Educated at Counthill School
Counthill School
Counthill School formerly a high-achieving Grammar School, was a mixed gender secondary school for 11 – 16 year olds in the Moorside area of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. The School closed at the end of July 2010 as part of the New Oldham Academies Project, merging with Breezehill School...
, he started his professional career with Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
as a 20 year-old, and shortly after that made his debut for England.
In 1996 he was named in the Super League Dream Team
Super League Dream Team
The Super League Dream Team is an award given each season to the players deemed to have been the best in their position in the Super League by a panel of journalists and broadcasters....
.
St. Helens paid £300,000 for Paul Sculthorpe when he moved from Warrington Wolves in 1997 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £469,000 in 2009).
In the 1997 post season, Sculthorpe was selected to play for 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"....
at loose forward in all three matches of the Super League Test series
Super League Test series
The Super League Test series was a three-Test match series between the Great Britain national rugby league team and Super League's Australian national team held during November 1997 in England...
against Australia.
St. Helens
In 2001 Sculthorpe was named man-of-the-match in the first test against Australia.He was named as Man of Steel in 2001 and 2002, becoming the first player to retain the award. He was Saints’ sole representative in the 2002 Super League Dream Team
Super League Dream Team
The Super League Dream Team is an award given each season to the players deemed to have been the best in their position in the Super League by a panel of journalists and broadcasters....
, a feat he repeated in 2004.
In 2004, his first season as captain, he lifted the Challenge Cup after Saints’ 32-16 win over 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....
at the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
, 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. 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
Global Gillette
Gillette is a brand of Procter & Gamble currently used for safety razors, among other personal care products. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, it was one of several brands originally owned by The Gillette Company, a leading global supplier of products under various brands, which was...
. Sculthorpe's deal with razor giants Gillette is the most lucrative sponsorship deal made by any rugby league player world wide.
In March 2006, Sculthorpe signed a deal with Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
to publish his autobiography, Man of Steel, which was published in August 2007 .
Having been named Great Britain captain he only ever captained the side for 18 minutes. This came in the one off test game at Knowsley road in 2006, between Great Britain and New Zealand. He was forced off after injuring his knee.
Sculthorpe was named man-of-the-match in St. Helens' win over the Brisbane Broncos in the 2007 World Club Challenge
2007 World Club Challenge
The 2007 Carnegie World Club Challenge was played between Super League XI champions, St Helens and 2006 National Rugby League premiers, the Brisbane Broncos. It was a replay of the 2001 World Club Challenge, and both clubs' fifth WCC appearance...
. In September 2007 he signed a new 12-month contract with St Helens which saw him celebrate his Testimonial Season at the club.
Paul's final game for St. Helens was in the 2008 Challenge Cup final, where he injured his shoulder in the opening minutes.
After an injury hit 2008 campaign
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...
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
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...
, or join up with brother Danny at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield 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 time for the 2009 Super League season. However, Sculthorpe announced his retirement from the game on 19 September 2008.