Nicola Howat
{{Infobox rugby biography|birth_date={{birth date and age|1997|03|25|df=y}}|clubs1=Howe of Fife|repcaps1=7|repteam1={{nwrut|Scotland}}|repyears1=2018–present|years1=2015-2019|years2=2020-present|years3=|reppoints1=0|clubs3=|clubs2=Sale Sharks|apps1=|points1=|birth_place=Melrose, Scotland|ru_position=Lock|weight={{cvt|80|kg|lb stlb}}|height={{height|m=1.77}}|caption=}}Nicola Howat (born 25 March 1997) is a Scottish rugby player from Edinburgh who has played in multiple Women's Six Nations Championships, including the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship.{{Cite web|title=Helen Nelson wants Scotland to end Six Nations on a high but knows ultimate goal is World Cup qualification|url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/womens-six-nations-helen-nelson-wants-scotland-to-end-on-a-high-but-knows-ultimate-goal-is-world-cup-qualification-3212573|access-date=2021-05-28|website=www.scotsman.com|language=en}}
Club career
Howat's first club was Howe of Fife’s senior team. She played for them while still at school and continued to play for them after she started at Edinburgh University.{{Cite web|last=June 2020|first=Gary Heatly Monday 15|title=Howat not feeling sheepish as she prepares to test herself in the top-flight|url=http://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/howat-not-feeling-sheepish-as-she-prepares-to-test-herself-in-the-top-flight/27405.htm|access-date=2021-05-27|website=Talking Rugby Union}} Howat was selected as Howe of Fife 2015/16 Player of the Season.{{Cite web|last=June 2020|first=Gary Heatly Monday 15|title=Howat not feeling sheepish as she prepares to test herself in the top-flight|url=http://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/howat-not-feeling-sheepish-as-she-prepares-to-test-herself-in-the-top-flight/27405.htm|access-date=2021-05-28|website=Talking Rugby Union}} In their 2016/17 season, Howat was part of the team won the BT National Division 2 Championship, gaining them promotion to BT National Division 1.{{Cite web|title=Howe hold their nerve to close out league title|url=https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/sport/howe-hold-their-nerve-close-out-league-title-1120706|access-date=2021-05-28|website=www.fifetoday.co.uk|language=en}}
In 2017, she was part of the Edinburgh University team that won the BUCS Championship (British Universities & College Sport) trophy at Twickenham.{{Cite web|title=Interview: women’s university rugby captain, Nicola Howat, looks ahead to Varsity and the new season - The Student|url=https://studentnewspaper.org/article/interview-womens-university-rugby-captain-nicola-howat-looks-ahead-to-varsity-and-the-new-season|access-date=2021-05-28|website=studentnewspaper.org}} The team won the league, championship cup and championship 7s all in the same year.{{Cite web|title=RBS Scottish Varsity Preview: University of Edinburgh women look to hold on to silverware|url=http://www.scottishrugby.org/news/rbs-scottish-varsity-preview-university-of-edinburgh-women-look-to-hold-on-to-silverware|access-date=2021-05-28|website=Scottish Rugby Union|language=en}}
In 2018, she captained the Edinburgh University Ladies Rugby Football Club’s 1st XV.{{Cite web|title=Interview: women’s university rugby captain, Nicola Howat, looks ahead to Varsity and the new season - The Student|url=https://studentnewspaper.org/article/interview-womens-university-rugby-captain-nicola-howat-looks-ahead-to-varsity-and-the-new-season|access-date=2021-05-27|website=studentnewspaper.org}}
Since 2020, Nicola has played for Manchester based Sale Sharks, where she plays alongside fellow Scottish international players scrum-half Mhairi Grieveand and back-row Lucy Winter.{{Cite web|last=June 2020|first=Gary Heatly Monday 15|title=Howat not feeling sheepish as she prepares to test herself in the top-flight|url=http://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/howat-not-feeling-sheepish-as-she-prepares-to-test-herself-in-the-top-flight/27405.htm|access-date=2021-05-27|website=Talking Rugby Union}}
In her club career, she started as a back row, but moved into second-row as her main position as she increased her practice.{{Cite web|last=June 2020|first=Gary Heatly Monday 15|title=Howat not feeling sheepish as she prepares to test herself in the top-flight|url=http://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/howat-not-feeling-sheepish-as-she-prepares-to-test-herself-in-the-top-flight/27405.htm|access-date=2021-05-27|website=Talking Rugby Union}}
International career
Howat began her international career by playing for the Scotland U20s against Belgium in 2016.{{Cite web|last=Barnes|first=David|date=2016-03-16|title=Women Under-20s squad announced|url=https://www.theoffsideline.com/women-u20-squad-announced/|access-date=2021-05-27|website=The Offside Line|language=en-GB}} Howat represented Scotland in the U19s, U20s and at Sevens, before joining the Scottish Rugby Union Academy programme in 2017.{{Cite web|date=2020-06-05|title=Sale Sharks Women sign Scottish International Duo|url=https://www.salesharks.com/2020/06/05/sale-sharks-women-sign-scottish-international-duo/|access-date=2021-05-27|website=Sale Sharks|language=en}}
She made the starting XV in her first cap for Scotland against France in the 2018 Women's Six Nations under the guidance of coach Shade Munro.{{Cite web|date=2019-02-21|title=Scotland Women remain positive - Munro|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/47323181|access-date=2021-05-28|website=BBC Sport|language=en-GB}}
She also played in the 2019 Women's Six Nations Championship.{{Cite web|date=2019-03-06|title=Four changes to Scotland Women for Wales clash|url=https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/2019/03/06/four-changes-to-scotland-women-for-wales-clash/|access-date=2021-05-28|website=Six Nations Rugby|language=en-GB}}
In the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship, Howat started on the bench in matches against England, Italy and Wales.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-24|title=Scotland Women’s Six Nations Squad 2021 - Scotland 27-20 Wales|url=https://www.rugbyworld.com/tournaments/six-nations-2021/scotland-womens-six-nations-squad-2021-123442|access-date=2021-05-28|website=Rugby World|language=en-US}}
Personal life
Howat started playing rugby in her third year at Bell Baxter High School, which fellow Scottish rugby players Pete Horne and George Horne also attended.{{Cite web|last=June 2020|first=Gary Heatly Monday 15|title=Howat not feeling sheepish as she prepares to test herself in the top-flight|url=http://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/howat-not-feeling-sheepish-as-she-prepares-to-test-herself-in-the-top-flight/27405.htm|access-date=2021-05-27|website=Talking Rugby Union}} She joined local club Howe of Fife Ladies while in her final years of school, in the club's first year.{{Cite web|title=Interview: women’s university rugby captain, Nicola Howat, looks ahead to Varsity and the new season - The Student|url=https://studentnewspaper.org/article/interview-womens-university-rugby-captain-nicola-howat-looks-ahead-to-varsity-and-the-new-season|access-date=2021-05-28|website=studentnewspaper.org}}
The Edinburgh University student studied for a Veterinary Medicine degree, completing her studies in 2019.{{Cite web|title=Women's Rugby at Edinburgh|url=https://www.ed.ac.uk/sport-exercise/performance/team-performance-programme/rugby-women/rugby-women|access-date=2021-05-27|website=The University of Edinburgh|language=en}}
She started her career as a small animals vet in October 2020.{{Cite web|last=June 2020|first=Gary Heatly Monday 15|title=Howat not feeling sheepish as she prepares to test herself in the top-flight|url=http://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/howat-not-feeling-sheepish-as-she-prepares-to-test-herself-in-the-top-flight/27405.htm|access-date=2021-05-28|website=Talking Rugby Union}} During the pandemic she based herself between Cupar and St Andrews in Fife, training for the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship and aiding her father with lambing season.{{Cite web|last=June 2020|first=Gary Heatly Monday 15|title=Howat not feeling sheepish as she prepares to test herself in the top-flight|url=http://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/howat-not-feeling-sheepish-as-she-prepares-to-test-herself-in-the-top-flight/27405.htm|access-date=2021-05-27|website=Talking Rugby Union}} In 2021, she relocated to Manchester to play for Sale Sharks.{{Cite web|title=Nicola Howat|url=https://www.salesharks.com/women/nicola-howat/|access-date=2021-05-28|website=Sale Sharks|language=en}}
Honours
- Winner of the 2016/17 British Universities & College Sport (BUCS) Championship with Edinburgh University{{Cite web|title=Interview: women’s university rugby captain, Nicola Howat, looks ahead to Varsity and the new season - The Student|url=https://studentnewspaper.org/article/interview-womens-university-rugby-captain-nicola-howat-looks-ahead-to-varsity-and-the-new-season|access-date=2021-05-27|website=studentnewspaper.org}}
- Winner of the 2016/17 BUCS Championship Women's Sevens with Edinburgh University{{Cite web|title=RBS Scottish Varsity Preview: University of Edinburgh women look to hold on to silverware|url=http://www.scottishrugby.org/news/rbs-scottish-varsity-preview-university-of-edinburgh-women-look-to-hold-on-to-silverware|access-date=2021-05-28|website=Scottish Rugby Union|language=en}}
- Winner of the 2016/17 BUCS Premier North League with Edinburgh University{{Cite web|title=RBS Scottish Varsity Preview: University of Edinburgh women look to hold on to silverware|url=http://www.scottishrugby.org/news/rbs-scottish-varsity-preview-university-of-edinburgh-women-look-to-hold-on-to-silverware|access-date=2021-05-28|website=Scottish Rugby Union|language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.scottishrugby.org/squads/scotland-women/nicola-howat Nicola Howat Scottish Rugby Profile Page]
- [https://womensclubrugby.com/player/nicola-howat/ Womens Club Rugby Profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Howat, Nicola}}
Category:Scottish female rugby union players
Category:Sale Sharks Women players
Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Category:People educated at Bell Baxter High School
Category:Scottish veterinarians