Paul Christian Sampson (born 12 July 1977) is an English rugby union and rugby league player who played at wing or full-back for London Welsh, Blackheath, Worcester Warriors, Bath and Wasps, plus Wakefield Trinity and London Broncos[1]

Paul Sampson
Birth namePaul Christian Sampson
Date of birth (1977-07-12) 12 July 1977 (age 47)
Place of birthKeighley, Yorkshire, England
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight11 st 9 lb (74 kg)
SchoolWoodhouse Grove School
Notable relative(s)Malcolm Sampson, Dave Sampson, Dean Sampson
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
Otley ()
1996–04 Wasps 110 (196)
2003–04 Bath 4 (0)
2004–05 Worcester ()
2005–06 Blackheath ()
2006–11 London Welsh ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
England A
1998–2001 England 3
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
England U-21
Rugby league career
Playing information
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2000 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 18 8 0 0 32
2004 London Broncos 3 1 0 0 4
Total 21 9 0 0 36

Background

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Paul Sampson was born in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England.

Early years

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In 1995 Sampson was named man-of-the-match in England Schools' record 30-3 win against Australia.

In the summer of 1996, he won the England Schools 100 metres title in 10.48 seconds, beating Dwain Chambers. In July that year he was called into the England rugby squad while still attending Woodhouse Grove School.[2]

Career

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Sampson won his first England cap against South Africa at the end of the 1998 Southern hemisphere tour.[2] He won two further caps, both against Canada on the summer North America tour in 2001. All three of his England appearances came on the wing. He also played Sevens for England.

Sampson most notably played for Premiership side London Wasps between 1996 and 2004, appearing for them in over 100 games, including the victorious 1999 Anglo-Welsh Cup Final.[3] He later played for five years at Championship London Welsh from 2006 to 2011, again playing over 100 matches.

Sampson had two spells in rugby league; with Wakefield Trinity in 2000,[4] and with London Broncos in 2004.[5]

Personal life

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Sampson's long-term partner and wife was Kirsty Gallacher, by whom he has two children, Oscar and Jude. They divorced in August 2015.[6]

He is the cousin of sprinter Denise Ramsden, and former England rugby league international Dean Sampson. Paul's father is Brian Sampson, Malcolm, and Dave Sampson's elder brother.

References

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  1. ^ Paul Sampson profile at London Welsh Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine accessed 5 August 2007
  2. ^ a b Telegraph.co.uk article from 31 December 2000[dead link] accessed 5 August 2007
  3. ^ "Wasps win Cup at last". BBC. 16 May 1999. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  4. ^ "Wasps winger turns his back on union". BBC News. 16 December 1999. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Player Summary: Paul Sampson". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  6. ^ Kirsty Gallacher in IMDb accessed 5 August 2007
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