Paul Frederick Johnson (born 24 July 1970) is a New Zealand former professional

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

footballer who represented

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

Playing career

A Papanui Tigers player in the

Canterbury Rugby League Canterbury Rugby League is the regional body that administers rugby league in Canterbury, New Zealand. CRL manages local competitions from senior level down to age group competitions. Canterbury Rugby League also manages the Canterbury rugby lea ...

competition, Johnson played for Papanui Tigers from 1989 to 1993 after playing Rugby Union for the Christchurch Rugby Club. During this period Johnson played for the Canterbury Emerging Players Team in 1991 and 1992 In 1993 to 1995 Johnson was selected in the

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. ...

Team and was in the side that bet

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

in 1993, coming off the bench in the Provincial grand final. Johnson was then named in the touring squad for the 1993

New Zealand national rugby league team The New Zealand national rugby league team (Māori: Tīma rīki motu Aotearoa) has represented New Zealand in rugby league since 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of ...

tour of Great Britain and France, replacing an injured

Brent Todd Brent Trevor Todd (born 5 December 1964) is a New Zealand former professional sportsman who has represented New Zealand at both rugby league football and water polo. His rugby league position was prop forward. Early years Todd played in the Ne ...

. However, Paul wasn't selected to play in a test and therefore not an official Kiwi.Coffey and Wood ''The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League'' . p.334. Johnson did not play a test while on tour but played in several tour matches against domestic sides.Coffey and Wood ''The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League'' . p.417. Johnson played for the Canterbury Cardinals side that played in the

Lion Red Cup The Lion Red Cup was a New Zealand domestic rugby league competition that ran from 1994 to 1996 sponsored by brewers Lion Nathan. It was created due to the increase in public awareness of domestic rugby league due to the Auckland Warriors being a ...

between 1994 and 1996.''Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1994'',

New Zealand Rugby Football League The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. SPARC, 2009: 13 The NZRL was founded on 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year.Coffey and Wood ''T ...

, 1994. p.110''Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1995'',

, 1995. p.110 His 1994 season was interrupted by a broken leg but he bounced back to make the

New Zealand Residents The New Zealand Residents (also previously known as New Zealand 'A', New Zealand XIII, the Lion Red Cup XIII and currently known as the Bartercard Premiership Selection) are a New Zealand rugby league football representative side that is selected f ...

in 1995. In 1996 and 1997 Johnson played for the Entrance Rugby League Club in the Central Coast, New South Wales competition.

References

External links

Past Kiwi Caps, J
''

New Zealand Rugby League The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. SPARC, 2009: 13 The NZRL was founded on 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year.Coffey and Wood ''T ...

'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Paul Living people New Zealand rugby league players New Zealand national rugby league team players Canterbury rugby league team players 1970 births Papanui Tigers players Rugby league props