Rugby

Total London Welsh Appearances

Biography

Long before Danny Cipriani became the English rugby media’s darling, Paul Sampson was the original boy wonder, plucked from obscurity by Jack Rowell in 96’, whilst still at school, and thrown into the Six Nations spotlight.

Now more than 13 years on, the Tour from Hell veteran, is rediscovering his love for the game in a small Welsh haven of London. Having joined the Dragons in 2006, from Blackheath, the former Wasps speedster is back doing what he does best, scoring tries, after an unhappy spell at Worcester led him to question his passion for the sport.

Faith restored at Blackheath under Harvey Biljon, Paul has since displayed the ability that first brought him to wider attention when he was summoned by Rowell from Third Division Otley, whilst still attending Woodhouse Grove School, and thrust into the international glare. An experience that he looks back on with mixed emotions.

That summer would see Sampson win the England Schools 100 metres title in 10.48 seconds, but a further two years would pass before he would make his England debut, on the ill-fated 1998 Tour from Hell. Sampson cut short his holiday to join up with the squad in South Africa for the Test match in Newlands, which England would lose 18-0.

After recovering from a broken leg, one of several injuries that would interrupt his career, Paul would follow a spell at the Wakefield Wildcats by returning to union with Wasps where he would establish himself as the Premiership’s top try scorer. However, a serious knee injury suffered on England Sevens duty in Dubai in 2002 would end his 2003 World Cup ambitions.

But having battled his way back to full fitness at Wasps, Paul found Kenny Logan and the emerging Tom Voyce blocking his path. A loan spell at Bath came and went, before he joined Worcester in November 2004. He would help the Warriors stave off relegation, but not before making a demon exorcising return to Dubai, to help England win the IRB Sevens.

With his faith in rugby restored, courtesy of Blackheath, his path would then take him to Welsh, although a cracked volar plate in his foot would restrict him to just eight appearances in his first season.

However, he would make amends for it in 2007/08, racking up 11 tries on his way to collecting the Players Player of the Year Award and the Supporters Player of the Year Award.

He would cross for a further 13 league tries in 2008/09, on his way to leading Welsh’s try scoring charts for a second consecutive season.

Nickname: Sammo
Favourite TV prog: Live coverage of the F1 on Sundays
Favourite music: A little bit of nearly everything. But favourites usually fall under the genre of trance or alternative.
Favourite meal: Thai
Favourite movie: Football Factory
First rugby memory: Sitting with my Dad, his friends and my uncles watching the Rugby League Challenge Cup Finals year after year.
Best rugby memory: Going head to head with a real legend of the game and scoring 2 tries to the 1 scored by Jonah Lomu
Best LW moment: Probably pre season trip to Portugal a few years ago. It was loose...
Worst LW moment: Playing in minus degree temperatures, rain and wind v Redruth in the cup. If I contractually had to play in those conditions more than twice a year, I would retire...
Team mate I would least like to share a room with: Not saying because at the next opportunity on an away game, our team manager Gerald will put me straight in with them. It is however a forward...what a surprise! They snore when they are awake that mob.
If not a rugby player I woould be: F1 racing driver obviously.........or maybe just a fireman.
Worst habit: Drinking whiskey
Ambition: Short term: 100 games for London Welsh would be nice.