Paul Sackey

Paul Henry Sackey (born 8 November 1979) is an English rugby union footballer who currently plays on the wing for Harlequins in the Aviva Premiership.

He is an England international. He has also played for the England Saxons and the England Sevens team.

He is of Ghanaian heritage and attended the Roman Catholic John Fisher School in Purley.

Early career

Born on 8 November 1979 in London, Sackey started playing rugby at 17, when he was a pupil at the Roman Catholic John Fisher School in Purley, and started out as a centre or fullback. His pace earned him an immediate call up to the school's 1st XV and he was a member of their Sevens team that won the Rosslyn Park Nationals Sevens tournament two years running.

Sackey was spotted by a Wasps scout, and went on to play for Wasps U19s and U21s. Andy Gomarsall took Sackey on a sevens trip to Lisbon and, realising his potential, arranged his move to Bedford. While at Bedford he was called up to the England under-21 squad that played in the under-21 World Cup in New Zealand, before signing professional forms with London Irish and joining them in August 2000. That year he also played for the England Sevens team in Argentina.