Paul Shields | |
Birth Name: | Paul Michael Shields |
Birth Date: | 25 September 1978 |
Birth Place: | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
Position: | Hooker |
Clubs1: | Ballymena RFC |
Clubs2: | Ulster Rugby |
Clubs3: | Northampton Saints |
Years2: | ? - 2007 |
Years3: | 2007-2009 |
Apps2: | 104 |
Apps3: | 41 |
Points3: | 30 |
Repyears1: | 2001-05 |
Repyears2: | 2003 |
Repteam1: | Ireland A |
Repteam2: | Ireland |
Repcaps1: | 8 |
Repcaps2: | 2 |
Reppoints1: | 10 |
Reppoints2: | 0 |
Paul Shields (born September 25, 1978) is an Irish professional rugby union footballer of the 2000s. He played at club level for Ulster Rugby and Northampton Saints, as a Hooker. He won two caps for the Ireland national team in 2003.[1]
Paul Shields attained 104 caps for Ulster Rugby being the 9th member to join the 100 cap club. He has won the Celtic League and Celtic Cup. In his first year Paul was nominated as the Ulster player of the year
Shields signed for the Northampton Saints in the 2007-08 season. Gaining praise over his pace as a hooker, he was placed on a rotational system with Dylan Hartley. In September 2009 Shields retired from professional rugby after suffering a neck injury in the March of that year.[2]