Ryan Nicholas
Encyclopedia
Ryan Nicholas is a Japanese rugby union
player who plays for Suntory Sungoliath
of the Top League
in Japan. In July 2011, he received Japanese citizenship. Although he is of Cook Island Maori heritage, he has played internationally for Japan
since 2008.
in his youth and attended Tauranga Boys' College
. He moved south to attend the University of Otago
and made his provincial rugby debut for Otago as a teenager in 1998.
By 2001, Nicholas was a key player in the Otago side and earned a contract with the Highlanders for the 2002 Super 12 season
. He would go on to have an outstanding debut season, starting all 12 contests and leading the side with 7 tries (one more than All Black great Jeff Wilson
). His exploits helped the Highlanders to an 8-3 record and semi-finals berth.
However, Nicolas would be unable to duplicate the excellence of his 2002 campaign, and he wouldn't record another try in 19 matches over his final two seasons with the Highlanders. His form suffered a similar dip with Otago, and he was not included in the Highlanders squad for the 2005 Super 12 season
.
club Suntory Sungoliath
. While his goal-kicking opportunities were limited in New Zealand, as he was behind All Blacks
Nick Evans and Tony Brown in the pecking order for Otago and the Highlanders, he was given an opportunity in Japan to become his team's main kicking option, and by the 2006-07 season was the top points scorer in the Top League.
Nicholas signed with the Queensland Reds
for the 2007 Super 14 season
, but the move fell through on the eve of the season and he chose to remain in Japan.
In the 2010-11 season, Nicholas scored 126 points in helping Suntory Sungoliath to their first All-Japan Championship
since 2001.
Nicholas has developed into a key player and one of the regular goal kickers (along with former Otago and Highlander teammate James Arlidge
) for the Japanese squad, and earned his 25th cap against the United Arab Emirates
on 13 May 2011.
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 who plays for Suntory Sungoliath
Suntory Sungoliath
Suntory Sungoliath is owned by the Suntory beverage company and is one of the Japanese rugby union teams in the Top League. The team is based in Fuchū, Tokyo, as is their local rival Toshiba Brave Lupus...
of the Top League
Top League
The Top League is a professional rugby union league created by the Japan Rugby Football Union to drive up the overall standard and popularity of the sport in the country and improve the results of the Japan national rugby union team. The first season was 2003-04 and featured 12 teams...
in Japan. In July 2011, he received Japanese citizenship. Although he is of Cook Island Maori heritage, he has played internationally for Japan
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
since 2008.
New Zealand
Born in Australia, Nicholas moved to New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in his youth and attended Tauranga Boys' College
Tauranga Boys' College
Tauranga Boys' College is a state secondary school for boys, located on the edge of the downtown area of Tauranga, New Zealand. The school was founded in 1958. The school prides itself on its successful involvement in academia, sport and the arts.-History:...
. He moved south to attend the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
and made his provincial rugby debut for Otago as a teenager in 1998.
By 2001, Nicholas was a key player in the Otago side and earned a contract with the Highlanders for the 2002 Super 12 season
2002 Super 12 season
The 2002 Super 12 season was the seventh season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 2002, with each team playing all the others once...
. He would go on to have an outstanding debut season, starting all 12 contests and leading the side with 7 tries (one more than All Black great Jeff Wilson
Jeff Wilson (sportsman)
-Cricket career:Wilson played his provincial cricket for Otago, as an all-rounder - both a hard-hitting batsman and a right-arm fast-medium pace bowler. His international appearances were in four games of a One Day Internationals series against Australia in the 1992-93 season, and again in an ODI...
). His exploits helped the Highlanders to an 8-3 record and semi-finals berth.
However, Nicolas would be unable to duplicate the excellence of his 2002 campaign, and he wouldn't record another try in 19 matches over his final two seasons with the Highlanders. His form suffered a similar dip with Otago, and he was not included in the Highlanders squad for the 2005 Super 12 season
2005 Super 12 season
The 2005 Super 12 season was the tenth season of the Super 12, contested by teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The season ran from February to May 2005, with each team playing all the others once. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams entered the playoff semi finals,...
.
Japan
In 2005, Nicholas joined Japanese Top LeagueTop League
The Top League is a professional rugby union league created by the Japan Rugby Football Union to drive up the overall standard and popularity of the sport in the country and improve the results of the Japan national rugby union team. The first season was 2003-04 and featured 12 teams...
club Suntory Sungoliath
Suntory Sungoliath
Suntory Sungoliath is owned by the Suntory beverage company and is one of the Japanese rugby union teams in the Top League. The team is based in Fuchū, Tokyo, as is their local rival Toshiba Brave Lupus...
. While his goal-kicking opportunities were limited in New Zealand, as he was behind All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
Nick Evans and Tony Brown in the pecking order for Otago and the Highlanders, he was given an opportunity in Japan to become his team's main kicking option, and by the 2006-07 season was the top points scorer in the Top League.
Nicholas signed with the Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
for the 2007 Super 14 season
2007 Super 14 season
The 2007 Super 14 season started in February 2007 with preseason matches held from mid-January. It finished on 19 May with the final at ABSA Stadium in Durban, in the first final between two South African teams in the history of Super Rugby...
, but the move fell through on the eve of the season and he chose to remain in Japan.
In the 2010-11 season, Nicholas scored 126 points in helping Suntory Sungoliath to their first All-Japan Championship
All-Japan Rugby Football Championship
The All-Japan Rugby Football Championship is played at the end of the season and now includes Top League teams, the top two universities and the champion club team as decided in the respective championships...
since 2001.
International Play
As Nicholas had never represented New Zealand or Australia internationally, he qualified to play for Japan and was selected in February 2008 as a member of the Japan national squad of 52 players.Nicholas has developed into a key player and one of the regular goal kickers (along with former Otago and Highlander teammate James Arlidge
James Arlidge
is a Japanese international rugby union player. He plays primarily at fly-half.-Club career:Unusually he made his Super rugby debut for the Auckland Blues, prior to making his first start in provincial rugby, making the step from junior rugby with Pakuranga and Auckland Colts, due to the then Blues...
) for the Japanese squad, and earned his 25th cap against the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
on 13 May 2011.