Nic Dolly

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2021}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Nic Dolly

| image =

| birth_name = Nicholas Dolly

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|6|11|df=y}}

| birth_place = Sydney, Australia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 1.83m

| weight = 103kg

| school =

| relatives =

| position = Hooker

| currentclub = Western Force

| years1 = 2017–2020

| clubs1 = Sale Sharks

| apps1 = 4

| points1 = 0

| years2 = 2017–2018

| clubs2 = → Rotherham Titans

| apps2 = 6

| points2 = 0

| years3 = 2017–2019

| clubs3 = → Sale F.C.

| apps3 = 22

| points3 = 15

| years4 = 2019–2020

| clubs4 = → Jersey Reds

| apps4 = 11

| points4 = 15

| years5 = 2021

| clubs5 = Coventry

| apps5 = 3

| points5 = 15

| years6 = 2021–2024

| clubs6 = Leicester Tigers

| apps6 = 32

| points6 = 60

| years7 = 2024–

| clubs7 = Western Force

| apps7 =

| points7 =

| repyears1 = 2017

| repteam1 = {{nruu|England|18}}

| repcaps1 = 5

| reppoints1 = 0

| repyears2 = 2019

| repteam2 = {{nruu|England|20}}

| repcaps2 = 9

| reppoints2 = 0

| repyears3 = 2021

| repteam3 = {{nrut|England}}

| repcaps3 = 1

| reppoints3 = 0

| clubupdate = 27 July 2024

| repupdate = 20 November 2021

}}

Nic Dolly (born 11 June 1999){{cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/player/298265.html| publisher=ESPN|work=ESPN Scrum|access-date=27 March 2021|title=Nic Dolly profile}} is a professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for Western Force in Super Rugby. He previously played for Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby.{{cite web|url=https://www.leicestertigers.com/player/nic-dolly|publisher=Leicester Tigers|title=Nic Dolly Leicester Tigers profile|access-date=27 March 2021}}

Born in Australia, Dolly is English qualified though his mother,{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2021/10/18/rapid-rise-nic-dolly-championship-rugby-england-call-up-matter/|title=The rapid rise of Nic Dolly: From Championship rugby to England call-up in a matter of months|first=Ben|last=Coles|website=The Daily Telegraph|date=18 October 2021|accessdate=26 November 2021}} represented the England under 20 side at the 2019 World Rugby Under 20 Championship{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56537450|work=BBC Sport| title=Nic Dolly: Leicester Tigers sign Coventry hooker| date=26 March 2021 | access-date=26 March 2021}} and made his debut for the senior England team in 2021.

Early life

Dolly grew up in Sydney, Australia and initially played rugby union for Eastwood Rugby Club and New South Wales Waratahs junior age sides.{{cite news|url=https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/all/domestic-club-rugby-union/national-leagues/national-league-2s/313656/young-guns-105/|work=The Rugby Paper|date=10 February 2019| access-date=27 March 2021| title= NATIONAL LEAGUE 2S YOUNG GUNS: Nic Dolly}} His maternal grandparents lived in Denton, Greater Manchester and while on an extended visit he was spotted by Sale Sharks. He subsequently joined their under 18s.{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/the-sydney-junior-set-to-play-for-eddie-s-england-against-wallabies-20211019-p591al.html|title=The Sydney junior set to play for Eddie's England against Wallabies|first=Sam|last=Phillips|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=19 October 2021|accessdate=26 November 2021}}

Career

In 2017 Dolly signed a five-year contract with Sale Sharks,{{cite news|url=https://www.salesharks.com/2017/07/25/sale-sharks-announce-groundbreaking-five-year-deals-for-academy-graduates/|work=Sale Sharks|date=25 July 2017| access-date=27 March 2021| title=SALE SHARKS ANNOUNCE GROUNDBREAKING FIVE YEAR DEALS FOR ACADEMY GRADUATES}} before spending time on duel-registration with Rotherham Titans in the RFU Championship,{{cite news |url=https://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/sport/view,england-u18-starlet-back-with-titans_25207.htm?cmpredirect|title=England U18 starlet back with Titans|first=Paul|last=Rickett|website=Rotherham Advertiser|date=11 January 2018|access-date=27 March 2021}} and Sale F.C. in National League 2 North. In 2017 he also represented the England under-18 team.{{cite news |url=https://www.premiershiprugby.com/2017/03/12/england-under-18s-see-off-scottish-counterparts-in-preston/|title=England under-18s see off Scottish counterparts in Preston|first=Sam|last=Diamond|website=Premiership Rugby|date=12 March 2017|accessdate=26 November 2021}} On 28 August 2019 Jersey Reds announced the signing of Dolly of a year long loan.{{cite news |url=https://jerseyeveningpost.com/sport/rugby/2019/08/28/hooker-dolly-arrives-as-maddison-flies-for-falcons/|title=Hooker Dolly arrives as Maddison flies for Falcons|first=Jason|last=Fox|website=Jersey Evening Post|date=28 August 2019|accessdate=27 March 2021}} He represented England under-20 in the 2019 Six Nations Under 20s Championship{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/47302962|title=Under-20s Six Nations: Wales 11-10 England|publisher=BBC Sport|date=22 February 2019|access-date=26 November 2021}} and was also a member of the squad that finished fifth at the 2019 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/48725050|title=World Rugby U20 Championship: England U20 45-26 Wales U20|publisher=BBC Sport|date=22 June 2019|access-date=26 November 2021}}

In February 2021 Dolly joined Coventry for the delayed 2021 RFU Championship season,{{cite news|url=https://www.coventryrugby.co.uk/2021/02/24/coventry-bolsters-squad-with-new-faces/|work=Coventry Rugby| date=24 February 2021| access-date=27 March 2021|title=Coventry bolsters squad with new faces}} and scored three tries in as many matches. On 26 March 2021 he joined local rivals Leicester Tigers on what was reported as a multi-year deal.{{cite news |url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/leicester-tigers-rugby-nic-dolly-5230820|title=Leicester Tigers sign prolific try-scoring hooker|first=Bobby|last=Bridge|website=Leicester Mercury|date=26 March 2021|accessdate=27 March 2021}}

Dolly made his first Premiership start against Exeter Chiefs on 18 September 2021, Dolly scored two tries, the first forward to do so on his Premiership debut for over 20 years.{{cite news |url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/leicester-tigers-exeter-chiefs-report-5937872|title=OPINION: 'Harlem Globe-Tigers' try for the ages set tone for epic Leicester victory|first=Bobby|last=Bridge|website=Leicester Mercury|date=19 September 2021|accessdate=26 September 2021}} The following week he scored again in a win versus Gloucester and was named as BT Sports' man of the match.{{cite news |url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/rugby/match-reports/gloucester-leicester-tigers-match-report-5969120|title=Leicester Tigers send alarm bells ringing across Gallagher Premiership after perfect start|first=Bobby|last=Bridge|website=Leicester Mercury|date=25 September 2021|accessdate=26 September 2021}}

He scored further tries against London Irish and Worcester Warriors, after which Dolly was called up to the senior England squad in October 2021 for Tests against Tonga, Australia and South Africa.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/oct/18/england-rugby-squad-autumn-test-series-farrell-vunipola-george|title=Jones backs Farrell for England as Saracens trio and Ford sidelined|first=Luke|last=McLaughlin|website=The Guardian|date=18 October 2021|accessdate=19 October 2021}}

Dolly made his international debut for England against South Africa on 20 November 2021.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59361364|title=England clinch dramatic 27-26 win over South Africa at Twickenham|first=Mike|last=Henson|website=BBC Sport|date=20 November 2021|accessdate=26 November 2021}}{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/eddie-jones-england-marcus-smith-south-africa-australia-b1962106.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/eddie-jones-england-marcus-smith-south-africa-australia-b1962106.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Eddie Jones delighted by instant impact of England's rising stars|first=Duncan|last=Bech|website=The Independent|date=22 November 2021|accessdate=26 November 2021}} Dolly was selected in the squad for the 2022 Six Nations Championship but did not feature in the matches, his form for Leicester earned him a call up to an England training camp in May 2022 but on 21 May 2022 Dolly suffered a significant knee injury following an illegal crocodile roll by Adam Brocklebank as Leicester beat Newcastle 27–5.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/may/21/newcastle-leicester-premiership-rugby-union-match-report|work=The Guardian|author=Ross Hepenstall|title=Leicester cruise past Newcastle despite Nic Dolly's serious knee injury |date=21 May 2022|access-date=22 May 2022}}

After an injury plagued spell Dolly was released from Leicester in April 2024, and quickly signed with Western Force, the Perth, Australia, based side.{{cite news|url=https://www.rugbyworld.com/news/australia-born-england-hooker-moves-back-down-under-and-could-play-for-wallabies-168136|work=Rugby World|date=19 April 2024|access-date=28 July 2024|title=Australia-born England hooker moves back Down Under and could play for Wallabies|first1=Sarah|last1=Rendell}}

References

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