Q&A: Robbie Paul

New Zealand international, Bradford Bulls skipper and devastating half-back Robbie Paul is the biggest attraction at the Odsal Stadium.

BBC Sport Online gave you the chance to quiz Robbie.

real 14k click here to listen

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A lightning force in rugby league, Robbie Paul was instrumental in clinching last year's Challenge Cup title for the Bulls - their first taste of Cup glory in 52 years.

And the captain is hoping to steer the team to repeat the feat.

Bradford go head-to-head with Super League champions St Helens in this year's Challenge Cup final on April 28 at Twickenham.

Under new coach Brian Noble, the Bulls are aiming to stampede the Super League this season, and have already secured an early victory over the Saints.

real 14k click here to listen to Robbie answers

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Tim in UK

Q: Why does Rugby league have so few competitive fixtures? With Australia dominating the international scene and St Helens the domestic scene, it makes the sport a bit of a turn off.

A: Australia have dominated international rugby league for a long time because it's their national sport and the coaching skills they have. Children are coached from a very early age Down Under, I started playing when I was four years old.

Those basic skills are what you need to follow through into a professional career. Players like myself have had something like an eight year start on others.

I don't know what he mean about St Helens dominating the domestic scene though. They have been the most successful team in the Super League since it started but I you couldn't really say they've totally dominated the competition. Wigan and Bradford have both won and Sheffield, Wigan and Bradford have also won the Challenge Cup over the last five years. If you look at the current standing of the Super League, Wigan and Bradford are the current front leaders.

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Alex Barker in England

Q: How would you say the best way is for a young rugby player like me to make it in the big game?

A: Your attention to detail. Rather than focusing on glory skills, you must get the basic stuff right and make the job easy for those around you. If you learn the basics of the sport at an early age, all the other stuff will fall around you. You need a very disciplined mentality, it's one of the most physically demanding team sports in the world and good discipline is extremely important.

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Dave Burden in England

Q: As a Bulls fan, can you see Bradford continuing to grow as a force which will dominate the league as did Wigan in the 80s? Or with possible player departures and ground problems will Bradford just remain as one of the 'big four'?

A: It would be nice to say Bradford would be as dominant as Wigan were in the past. But it would be damning to the sport if we did get that kind of domination. Without taking anything away from Wigan, they were the only fully professional team at the time.

We haven't see a decline in Wigan we've seen an increase in quality in the rest of the teams. In the Super League this year the competition is a lot stronger and I don't think you'll as many games dominated by one team. Because I play for Bradford it would be good to see them have that amount of success but as a but if any team got too dominant it would get boring.

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Bruce in Australia

Q: I know it must be a frequently asked question Robbie, but when will you be showcasing your vast array of skills here in Australia?

A: I'm in no rush to go back Down Under even though I thought I would at some time in my career. I enjoy the competition over here and the guys that come over soon realsze how tough it is.

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Philip Owen in England

Q: Bearing in mind the excitement Jason Robinson is bringing to the England union team - and your qualification through your mother - would you ever consider playing rugby union for England?

A: I wouldn't never say no to any opportunity but it hasn't come to me. You can't play this sport forever and we're not getting the same money as professional footballers and other professional players. I wouldn't rule it out but I'd much prefer play rugby league because it's what I do best.

Going into union would force me to relearn a lot of the skills and artistry of the sport. When I come out of my current contract I'll be 27 and I don't know if I've got the time left in me. If that opportunity arose I'd definitely have a look at it - I'll just keep my options open.

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Craig Mills in Wales

Q: If you went to rugby union do you think your brother would follow?

A: I don't think it would affect his decision-making in any way, shape or form. I think my brother would make the right decision for himself at any given time.

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Tim Griffiths in Wales

Q: I've heard that your brother Henry may leave the Bulls next year, is this true?

A: Henry is going through new contract negotiation. He comes out of contract at the end of this year and I don't know the finer details of who he's dealing with. Henry's got some exciting times, he's playing really well.

I'd like to see my older brother playing alongside me not because he's my older brother but because he's one of the best players in the world. Personally, I wouldn't like to see him go but I know he'll make the right decision for himself.

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Nick in England

Q: Has your injury sustained in the game against Halifax last season continued to affect you in any way?

A: Not really, you get injured every season but that was unlucky. It's a contact sport and injuries happen, and you enjoy playing with that fear factor as well. It sounds blike a bad injury, broken ribs and a collapsed lung, but not the worst I've ever had.

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Paul in UK

Q: Once you reach the pinnacle of your sport as you have do you still love playing the game or does it become just a job?

Do you think there should be more League internationals to boost the profile of the game across the whole country and is there anything as intense as an Australia v New Zealand Test?

A: Now that I'm getting older I enjoy the sport a lot more but I do consider it my job. I couldn't think of a better way of making a living. It's good fun with hard work mixed in as well. International rugby league is something that is very important to the sport. It puts it on the global stage. It needs to start with more competition games.

The level of competition in the Super League has improved, the Yorkshire v Lancashire games have been resurrected and there are a coupls of home nations games as well. It's a good place to start from and grow from. I know that if Great Britain had played in the World Cup instead of the split home nations it would have been a lot tougher for New Zealand and Australia. I would have liked to have seen it, I enjoy playing against tough teams.

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Abdul in England

Q: Who showed more promise playing rugby league as a youngster, you or your brother Henry?

A: I think we both showed lot of promise. We both represented our countries at junior level in baseball, rugby, touch rugby and rugby union. With good parents behind us we had the opportunity to try anything we wanted. We both excelled in own specialties, but we pretty much did the same thing. It seems to be the same in our professional careers.

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David J Smith in UK

Q: After losing to Saints in Challenge Cup finals before how do you see this one going and what's the main threat from them?

A: Than you for reminding me! We're about due a win. St Helens are a very unpredictable team. They're very tough and they deserve the success they've achieved. They have three of four players in their squad who are game-breakers.

They have a player who is considered as the number one hooker in the world, Keiron Cunningham who I have a lot of respect for. I started about the same time and have watched him throughout his career. Sean Long can score from anywhere in the field and he's a very dangerous player. Bradford will spend a lot of time doing their homework on these.

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