Club career
Connacht
Nikora joined Irish side Connacht for the start of the 2009–10 season to provide competition for Ian Keatley at fly-half. [3]
Nikora made 11 appearances in his debut league campaign, [4] At European level, Nikora played in six of Connacht's eight 2009–10 Challenge Cup games as they reached the semi-finals,. [5]
In the 2010–11 season a new coach, Eric Elwood. Nikora played 16 games in the 2010–11 Celtic League [4] In the 2010–11 European Challenge Cup, Nikora started three of Connacht's six games and featured from the bench in another two. [5]
In the following season Nikora competed with Niall O'Connor for the number 10 jersey, as Keatley left Connacht to join Munster. [6] [7] Nikora played in ten 2011–12 Pro12 games, starting eight of these and scoring 75 points. [4] In Europe, the season marked Connacht's first time to play in the Heineken Cup, the highest level of European rugby. Nikora played in three games in the 2011–12 Heineken Cup, starting twice. [5]
The 2012–13 season saw former Scotland international fly-half Dan Parks join Connacht, limiting Nikora's role in the side. Nikora came on as a replacement in four 2012–13 Heineken Cup games, while in the 2012–13 Pro12, he appeared 12 times. [4] [5]
The following season was also a frustrating one for Nikora. Eric Elwood departed the province to be replaced by Pat Lam, but in September 2013, before he had played his first match of the season, Nikora picked up a shoulder injury. It later emerged that the shoulder would require surgery and could mean missing up to five months of the season. [8] Nikora played no part in the 2013–14 Heineken Cup, and ultimately did not play in the 2013–14 Pro12 until 23 February 2014 against Zebre, when he came on as a replacement. [5] Nikora made four more appearances from the bench and three starts before the end of the season. [4]
Connacht Rugby is one of the four professional provincial rugby teams from the island of Ireland. Connacht competes in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. The team represents the IRFU Connacht Branch, which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union throughout the geographical Irish province of Connacht.
The Tasman Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere, a bay at the north end of the South Island in New Zealand. Headquartered in Nelson, TRU is New Zealand's newest provincial union, founded in 2006 with the amalgamation of the existing Marlborough and Nelson Bays sub unions.
Frank Murphy is a former professional rugby union player from Ireland who works as a referee for the Irish Rugby Football Union. He primarily played as a scrum-half. Originally from Cork, Murphy played for his native province of Munster before moving to the English side Leicester Tigers, with whom he won a Premiership title, and then finished his career with Connacht, another Irish province, making over 100 appearances for the side.
Fetu'u Moana Vainikolo is a Tongan rugby union player who currently plays wing for the Utah Warriors in Major League Rugby (MLR).
Eric Elwood is a former Irish rugby union player from Galway. He played as a fly-half. He played for Ireland internationally, and provincially for Connacht. He split his club career between hometown club Galwegians and Lansdowne in Dublin, starting and finishing his career in Galway, with a stint playing with Lansdowne in the 1990s. Elwood earned 35 caps for Ireland, scoring 296 points for the side. He played 168 games for Connacht scoring 1,038 points. He was the first Connacht player to make 100 appearances for the side, while his points tally is still the greatest ever recorded for the team. Elwood also made a single appearance for international invitational side the Barbarians before being capped by Ireland.
Ian James T. Keatley is an Irish rugby union player. He plays primarily as a fly-half, but can also play as a centre or fullback.
John Muldoon is an Irish rugby union coach and former player. He is currently the forwards coach for the Bristol Bears.
Brett Wilkinson is a South African born rugby union coach and former player. He is currently Head coach for HKU Sandy Bay in the Hong Kong Premiership. He is also scrum coach for the Hong Kong national team and Global Rapid Rugby side the South China Tigers.
Paul O'Donohoe is a professional rugby union player from Ireland. He primarily plays at scrum half. O'Donohoe last played professionally for Irish provincial side Connacht, and before that played his native province of Leinster. O'Donohoe has also represented the Ireland U-20's team.
Michael Swift is an English former rugby union player. Swift played rugby professionally for 17 years and spent most of his career with Irish provincial team Connacht. He retired from playing in 2015. Though he originally played both as a flanker and a lock, Swift played almost exclusively in the second row later in his career.
Nathan White is a retired rugby union player from New Zealand, who played internationally for Ireland. He played as a prop, primarily at tighthead. White last played for Irish provincial side Connacht in the Pro12, and had previously played for Leinster, another province. Before moving to Ireland, he played Super Rugby for the Chiefs and provincial rugby for Waikato.
Craig Brian James Clarke is a retired rugby union player from New Zealand. He played as a lock during his career, winning two Super Rugby titles with the Chiefs where he served as captain. He also captained Taranaki in the ITM Cup. Before his retirement he was playing for the Irish provincial team Connacht in the Pro12, and served as the team captain. Clarke's ability to anticipate play and adaptability to the referee's rulings are two of his key attributes.
Ronan Loughney is a retired professional rugby union player from Ireland. He played as a prop. Having started his career playing at loosehead, Loughney moved to tighthead in the 2011–12 season, but primarily played as a loosehead again until his retirement in 2017.
George Naoupu is a former professional rugby union player from New Zealand. He played at number 8, as a flanker or in the second row.
Mata Fifita is a Tongan professional rugby union and rugby league footballer. He has played for Irish provincial side Connacht Rugby in the Pro14. Though his favoured position when he started playing for Connacht was centre, the 2013–14 season saw Fifita converted to a flanker.
Robbie Henshaw is an Irish rugby union player. He plays primarily as a centre, although he can also play fullback. Henshaw currently plays for Irish provincial team Leinster in the Pro14, and internationally for Ireland.
Eoin McKeon is a rugby union player from Ireland. He primarily played in the back row. McKeon played for his native province of Connacht in the Pro14 from 2010 to 2020. He played his club rugby for Galwegians. Since his retirement, he has spent his free time losing balls on the golf course and setting world record times for a 5 km run.
Andrew Browne is a rugby union player from Ireland. Browne is a versatile forward, able to play as a flanker or a lock. Browne most recently played professionally for Irish provincial side Connacht Rugby. His older brother Damian Browne is also a rugby player, and formerly played for Connacht and Leinster.
Rodney Ah You is a New Zealand born Irish rugby union player. Ah You's primary position is as a prop, and he can play at both tighthead and loosehead. He currently plays for French side Rugby Club Vannes in the Rugby Pro D2.
The 2013–14 Connacht Rugby season was the team's thirteenth season competing in the Pro12 as well as their third season to compete in the Heineken Cup. Following the departure of Eric Elwood, the 2013–14 season saw Pat Lam take charge of the team as head coach.
