Andy Nicol
Encyclopedia
Andrew Douglas Nicol is a former rugby union
player and the first British player to lift the Heineken Cup
as captain of Bath Rugby
. He was educated at the High School of Dundee
and he also captained the Scotland national rugby union team
from scrum-half on the famous occasion in 2000 when Scotland beat England
19-13 at a rain-soaked Murrayfield
and so prevented England from achieving the Grand Slam
that year. He won 23 caps
for Scotland
.
Nicol was also called up as a late replacement for the British Lions
in 2001 replacing Austin Healey
, whilst on holiday in Australia.
Nicol retired at the end of the 2002/3 season and became involved with Glasgow Rugby
.
He managed the Scottish based sevens team, Bone Steelers at the Dubai 7s from 2004 until 2006 and then again in 2009.
On 16 February 2007, he 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.
Nicol is a presenter for BBC Sport.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player and the first British player to lift the Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
as captain of Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
. He was educated at the High School of Dundee
High School of Dundee
The High School of Dundee is an independent, co-educational, day school in the city of Dundee, Scotland which provides both primary and secondary education to just over one thousand pupils...
and he also captained the Scotland national rugby union team
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
from scrum-half on the famous occasion in 2000 when Scotland beat England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
19-13 at a rain-soaked Murrayfield
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
and so prevented England from achieving the Grand Slam
Grand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
that year. He won 23 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Nicol was also called up as a late replacement for the British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
in 2001 replacing Austin Healey
Austin Healey
Austin Sean Healey is a former English rugby union player, who played as a utility back for Leicester Tigers, and has represented the England national rugby union team and the British Lions....
, whilst on holiday in Australia.
Nicol retired at the end of the 2002/3 season and became involved with Glasgow Rugby
Glasgow Warriors
The Glasgow Warriors, formerly Glasgow Rugby, are one of two professional rugby union teams in Scotland, Edinburgh being the other. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12 and their home ground is Firhill Stadium, also the home of Partick Thistle Football Club.-History:Glasgow Rugby were created to...
.
He managed the Scottish based sevens team, Bone Steelers at the Dubai 7s from 2004 until 2006 and then again in 2009.
On 16 February 2007, he was defeated in the Rectorial election
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
at the University of Dundee
University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
. Former British Ambassador Craig Murray
Craig Murray
Craig John Murray is a British political activist, former ambassador to Uzbekistan and former Rector of the University of Dundee....
was duly elected Lord Rector with 632 votes to Nicol's 582.
Nicol is a presenter for BBC Sport.