Andy Nicol
{{Short description|Scotland international rugby union player}}
{{for-multi|the judge|Andrew Nicol (judge)|the film director|Andrew Niccol}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Andy Nicol
| image =
| birth_name = Andrew Douglas Nicol
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|3|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = Dundee, Scotland
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}
| weight =
| ru_currentposition =
| ru_currentteam =
| position = Scrum-half
| amatyears1 = 1990–1999
| amatteam1 = Dundee HSFP
| years1 = 1997–1999
| years2 = 1999–2003
| clubs1 = Bath
| clubs2 = Glasgow Warriors
| apps1 =
| apps2 = 66
| points1 =
| points2 = 37
| provinceyears1 =
| province1 = North and Midlands
| provinceapps1 =
| provincepoints1 =
| repyears1 = 1991
| repyears2 = 1992–2002
| repteam1 = Scotland 'B'
| repteam2 = {{nrut|Scotland}}
| repcaps1 = 2
| repcaps2 = 23
| reppoints1 = 0
| reppoints2 = 9
| repsevensyears1 =
| repsevenscomp1 =
}}
Andrew Douglas Nicol (born 12 March 1971) is a former Scotland international rugby union player. A scrum-half, Nicol won 23 caps for Scotland and had brief spells as a replacement on two British & Irish Lions tours.
Rugby Union career
=Amateur career=
Nicol was born on 12 March 1971 in Dundee and educated at the High School of Dundee and Dundee Institute of Technology (now Abertay University). He played for Dundee HSFP.{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000564/19901203/286/0014?browse=true|title = }}
=Provincial and professional career=
In the amateur era Nicol played for North and Midlands.{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000564/19901203/286/0014?browse=true|title = }}
When the game turned professional Nicol played for Bath. As captain of Bath, he was the first British player to lift the Heineken Cup, when they defeated Brive in 1998.{{cite news
|url = http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/17106.php
|title = The Third Heineken Cup Final
|publisher = epcrugby.com
|date = 31 January 1998
|access-date = 24 February 2017
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161026005039/http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/17106.php
|archive-date = 26 October 2016
|url-status = dead
}}
In 1999 Nicol moved from Bath to Glasgow Warriors. He made his competitive debut for the Glasgow provincial side on 3 September 1999, playing an away match against Pontypridd in the Welsh-Scottish League. He became Glasgow Warrior No. 65.
Nicol retired at the end of the 2002–03 season,{{cite news|title=Andy Nicol set to retire|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/45464.html|publisher=ESPNscrum|date=11 March 2003}}
=International career=
Nicol played for Scotland 'B' against France 'B' on 2 March 1991; he played for the 'B' side again against Ireland 'B' on 28 December 1991.
Nicol made his debut for Scotland in 1992 against England. Over 10 years he won 23 caps for Scotland, a period when he faced strong competition for selection from scrum halves Gary Armstrong and Bryan Redpath. He never played in a World Cup, not being selected in 1991 and 1999, and being injured in 1995.
Nicol captained Scotland in 2000 when Scotland beat England 19–13 at a rain-soaked Murrayfield and so prevented England from achieving the Grand Slam.
Nicol was a replacement on the 1993 British Lions tour to New Zealand, when he appeared in one game, playing six minutes. He was also called up as a late replacement for the Lions on their 2001 tour, replacing Austin Healey, whilst on holiday in Australia. In total he spent seven days with the Lions across two tours.
=Coaching career=
Nicol managed a Scottish-based sevens team, Bone Steelers, at the Dubai 7s from 2004 until 2006 and again in 2009.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}
Other interests
On 16 February 2007, Nicol was defeated in the Rectorial election at the University of Dundee. Former British Ambassador Craig Murray was duly elected Lord Rector with 632 votes to Nicol's 582. He was awarded an honorary degree by Abertay University in 2013.{{Cite web |url=https://www.abertay.ac.uk/news/2013/sir-mervyn-king-to-receive-honorary-degree |title=Sir Mervyn King to receive honorary degree |access-date=12 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612163115/https://www.abertay.ac.uk/news/2013/sir-mervyn-king-to-receive-honorary-degree |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=dead }}
Nicol is a commentator for BBC Sport.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=4369 Sporting Heroes Profile]
- {{ESPNscrum|11131}}
- [http://www.lionsrugby.com/6012.php?player=2662&includeref=dynamic Lions profile]
{{British and Irish Lions 1993}}
{{British and Irish Lions 2001}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicol, Andy}}
Category:People educated at the High School of Dundee
Category:Alumni of Abertay University
Category:Scottish rugby union players
Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Scotland
Category:Rugby union scrum-halves
Category:Glasgow Warriors players
Category:Scottish rugby union coaches
Category:Scotland international rugby union players
Category:Scotland international rugby sevens players
Category:Male rugby sevens players
Category:Rugby union players from Dundee
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