Paul Anderson (rugby league)

Paul Anderson

Personal information
Full name	Paul John Anderson
Nickname	Baloo
Born	(1971-10-25) 25 October 1971 (age 45) Castleford, West Yorkshire, England
Playing information
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	21 st 5 lb (135 kg)
Position	Prop
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P Halifax Leeds 1997–05 Bradford Bulls 175 42 2005–06 St. Helens 62 1 42 Total 237 0 1 0 84 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1992–93 Great Britain U-21 2 2000–01 England 5 0 0 0 0 1999–03 Great Britain 10 0 0 0 0 Yorkshire
Coaching information
Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 2008 Huddersfield Giants 2012–16 Huddersfield Giants Total 0 0 0 0

Paul "Baloo" Anderson (born 25 October 1971) is an English rugby league footballer of the 1990s, and 2000s, and is assistant coach of the England national rugby league team having been head coach of the Huddersfield Giants between 2013 and 2016.

Paul began his playing career in 1991 playing as a Prop for Leeds. He made two appearances for Great Britain under-21's between 1992 and 1993 while at Leeds. He spent the majority of his career at the Bradford Bulls, where he established himself as a Bradford and Great Britain stalwart. In 2005, Anderson moved to St. Helens. On 10 May 2006, the BBC announced that Paul Anderson would retire from playing in order to be an assistant coach with Huddersfield Giants beginning in the 2007 season. On 16 July 2012 Anderson was announced as the new Head Coach after Nathan Brown's removal from the position. Anderson had been due to assume the role at the end of the 2012 Super League season but this was brought forward with Brown leaving early after a downturn in form and his decision to assume the job of Head Coach at St Helens for the 2013 season.

Anderson played for Bradford Bulls at prop forward in the 1999 Super League Grand Final which was lost to St. Helens.

Anderson won caps for England while at Bradford Bulls in 2000 against Australia (sub), Fiji, Ireland, and New Zealand (sub), in 2001 against Wales, and won caps for Great Britain while at Bradford Bulls in 1999 against Australia (sub), in 2001 against France (sub), and Australia (sub) (3 matches), in 2002 against New Zealand (sub) (3 matches), and in 2003 against Australia (sub) (2 matches).

Anderson played for the Bradford Bulls from the interchange bench in their 2001 Super League Grand Final victory against the Wigan Warriors. As Super League VI champions, the Bulls played against 2001 NRL Premiers, the Newcastle Knights in the 2002 World Club Challenge. Anderson was selected for the interchange bench in Bradford's victory. He also played for Bradford from the bench in their 2002 Super League Grand Final loss against St. Helens.