Paul Sackey England Profile
Updated December 1, 2008
PAUL SACKEY
Club: London Wasps
Position: Wing
Born: 08.11.79 | Westminster
Height: 1.86m (6’ 1’’)
Weight: 92kg (14st 7lb)
Representative Honours: England U21s, Sevens, A, Saxons
Caps: 19
Points: 50 – 10T
International Record: 2006 NZ, Arg, 2007 F(1,2R), World Cup - SA, Sam, Tg, A, F, SA 2008 W, It, Fr, S, I, PI, A, SA, NZ
Paul Sackey has scored ten tries in 19 Tests as England’s best strike runner over the last 12 months.
Back in action after suffering a knee injury in winning the Guinness Premiership title the day before England flew out to New Zealand this summer, he marked his return by grabbing a brace in England's 39-13 victory over the Pacific Islanders at Twickenham.
Having been England’s top try scorer at the 2007 Rugby World Cup with four, including his diving catch of Jonny Wilkinson’s cross-field kick against Tonga, Paul maintained his prolific record, scoring England's first try in three of his team's 2008 RBS 6 Nations matches.
He touched down against Italy, courtesy of a Jonny Wilkinson chip kick, and the winger gave his team an early lead at Stade de France before once again becoming the first name on the scoresheet in England's 33-10 victory over Ireland at Twickenham.
He first toured with the senior England squad in 2001, scoring two tries in the 82-21 victory over United States A.
Paul made his full England debut in November 2006 when he benefited from an injury to Mark Cueto to step in for the Twickenham South Stand opener against New Zealand and then scored a try in the next game against Argentina.
He has represented England U21s and Sevens and made his England A debut against Ireland at Northampton in 2002. He was selected for a third consecutive Churchill Cup in 2006 but had to withdraw with a toe injury. The following year he was part of the England Saxons team that defeated New Zealand Maori to win the 2007 Barclays Churchill Cup.
In August 2000 he joined London Irish from Bedford and sandwiched two spells at the Exiles with a season at London Wasps (03-04) before again joining the Men in Black in February 2005.
By the end of the 2007/8 season, he had clocked up 64 tries in 160 league appearances for Bedford, London Irish and London Wasps since 1999.
Did you know?
The son of parents from Ghana, Paul dreamed of wearing the three lions at Wembley rather then the red rose at Twickenham.
In his teenage years Paul was a good enough central midfielder to earn trials with Crystal Palace but he attended a school, John Fisher in Purley, where rugby was the predominant game. He was spotted, as so many young players are, at the Rosslyn Park schools sevens tournament and an alternative career path opened up.
He credits Margot Wells, wife of the former Olympic 100 metres champion Allan, and their private sprint sessions in Guildford, with making him sharper.
Among those who have helped get him where he is today is the Harlequins and England scrum half Andy Gomarsall, who spotted Paul's potential early on at the Wasps academy and took the county standard hurdler under his wing. It was Gomarsall who first introduced Paul to Wells and subsequently sorted his contract when he joined London Irish from Bedford.
In 2006 Paul set up his own car-sourcing business, finding and selling top-of-the-range cars including, in one case, a Ј330,000 Rolls Royce Phantom.
