Robbie Paul, captain of Bradford Bulls, New Zealand international and a sporting hero, has added another qualification to his impressive CV this year – he has trained as a nail technician.
Now Robbie, 28, a rugby pin-up with a huge army of female fa
ns who is in his testimonial year with the Bulls, can apply a false nail any time he chooses and is qualified to buff and polish with the best of them.
Robbie, who grew up in New Zealand but now lives in Mirfield, decided to do the Designer Nails training course – which involved wearing a full set of false nails himself – to follow in his partner's footsteps.
Toni Paul trained there and has now opened Absolute Beauty in Horsforth, Leeds.
Robbie said: "I'm a keen artist and I've got a delicate touch, so I thought it would be a doddle but it wasn't. The hardest bit of all was painting the nails once I had fixed them on.
"I really enjoyed the course but I found it tough. It gave me new respect for what Toni does. I was investing in a business so I thought it made good sense to find out what it was all about."
Robbie, feared by many for his on-pitch skills, even asked a fellow rugby player to act as a hand model – and he agreed – but the training company did not have nails big enough to fit him.
He said: "I did my mum's nails instead. But one of the girls on the course practised on me. I went home with a full set of false nails on my right hand which was a bit embarrassing because I had to go to a sportsman's dinner that night. They didn't really say anything. I think they're used to me doing things that don't really fit the rugby mould."
At the end of his course Robbie passed a two-and-a-half- hour assessment with flying colours.
Samantha Sweet, who runs Designer Nails, said: "It's very unusual to have a man training as a nail technician and the other girls in the class couldn't believe it. They were completely star struck.They thought it was fantastic, though. He showed real commitment and learned quickly. He was a star pupil."
Robbie said: "I'm all about breaking down barriers and stereotypes."
jayne.dawson@ypn.co.uk
