Paul Sterling

Paul Sterling (born 2 August 1974) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He played at representative level for England and Wales, and at club level for Hull FC, Leeds Rhinos and the Hunslet Hawks as a wing.

Sterling was born in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England.

Sterling started his rugby league career in 1993, joining Hull F.C. from rugby union club Bradford & Bingley. After spending the 1996 season on loan at Hunslet Hawks, he joined Leeds Rhinos. Sterling was the top try scorer for Leeds Rhinos during 1997's Super Leagu II.

Sterling won a cap for England while at Leeds in 1999 against France, and won caps for Wales in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup against Cook Islands, Lebanon, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea, at 36 years of age, he was the oldest player in the tournament.

In September 2000, Sterling took Leeds to an employment tribunal, claiming that he had been discriminated against by head coach Dean Lance earlier in the year. In December 2000, Leeds were ordered to pay Sterling £16,000 as compensation and to offer him a new one-year contract. Leeds intended to appeal against this ruling, but in April 2001, Sterling announced his retirement, stating that he had lost the desire to play the sport due to the incident.