| Paul Wellens |
 |
|
| Personal information |
| Nickname | Wello, |
| Born | 27 February 1980 (1980-02-27) (age 29) |
| St Helens, Merseyside, England |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 15 st 2 lbs (96 kg) |
| Playing information |
| Position | Full-back |
| Club |
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 1998– | St Helens | 292 | | | | 599 |
| Representative |
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 1999– | England | 15 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 1999–2007 | Great Britain | 20 | | | | 20 |
| As of 2 November, 2008 |
Paul Wellens, (born 27 February 1980 in St Helens, Merseyside) is an English multi-award winning rugby league footballer. Wellens plays for St Helens in the European Super League. Wellens is a Great Britain and England international. Paul Wellens' usual position is full-back. The current holder of the Lance Todd Trophy for the outstanding player in the Rugby League Cup Final, the second year in a row.
[edit] Early career
Wellens broke through the St Helens RLFC ranks to make his debut in the 1999 season. Success quickly followed and Wellens soon secured his place in what was a strong team. Wellens is known for his dependability and all round game, Wellens steadily gained admirers throughout the sport with consistently sturdy performances, showing maturity beyond his years.
[edit] International debut
An England call up followed and with full back Kris Radlinski already established at international level, Wellens displayed his versatility with spells on the wing and at centre. A call up for Great Britain ensued, and he made a handful of appearances before being contentiously left out by then coach David Waite, who felt Wellens’ form had dipped during this period.
[edit] 2000 to 2002
[edit] 2003 to 2005
With a point to prove, Wellens has been one of Super League’s most notable performers since and has made the number 1 jersey his own for his country. His attitude and aptitude to the game earned him a reputation as a model professional. While he is considered less glamorous than some of his colleagues, Wellens earned the player of the season award at Saints in 2004 to underline his value at Knowsley Road, establishing himself as one of the fans' favourites.
2006 was to be a remarkable season that would see him stand alone as Super League’s finest. In a season that would see St Helens collect all three major honours at domestic level, Wellens' own form was to be rewarded with the Rugby League Writers' Association player of the year, Super League players' player of the year and the prestigious Man of Steel Award. Wellens was also awarded the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man of the match against Hull FC in the Super League XI Grand Final in 2006.
Wellens has seemingly picked up where he left off last season for the current 2007 Super League, again performing consistently well and making himself one of the book makers favourites for the prestigious Man of Steel award. In the instance of Paul Wellens winning the 2007 Man of Steel award he would become the second player in history to earn back to back awards along with St Helens loose forward and former Great Britain Captain Paul Sculthorpe.
He has also won the Lance Todd trophy in the 2008 victory over Hull FC.
He played in the 2008 Super League Grand Final defeat to the Leeds Rhinos.[1]
He has been named in the England squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[2]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
