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]
The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. For sponsorship reasons the league is known as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in South Africa, and the BKT United Rugby Championship in the competition's other territories, the split branding mirroring the format previously adopted in Super Rugby. The Championship represents the highest level of domestic club or franchise rugby in each of its constituent countries.
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.
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.
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.
Tom McCartney is a rugby union player from New Zealand. Although he mostly played as a hooker, he also played as prop. McCartney retired from rugby finishing with Irish provincial team Connacht in the Pro14. McCartney's nickname, 'Freak,' comes from his strength in the gym.
John Muldoon is an Irish rugby union coach and former player. He is currently the Lineout & Maul coach for Connacht.
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 in 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.
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Robert Anthony Henshaw is an Irish professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for United Rugby Championship club Leinster and the Ireland national team.
Matthew Healy is an Irish former professional rugby union player. His primary position was on the wing and he was also used as injury cover at fullback, while earlier in his career he played at scrum-half. Healy played his entire career for Irish provincial team Connacht Rugby in the Pro14 and represented Ireland at test level once. He is Connacht's all-time leading try scorer.
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.
Denis Buckley is a rugby union player from Ireland. He predominantly plays as a loosehead prop. Buckley currently plays for Irish provincial team Connacht in the Pro14. He plays his club rugby for Buccaneers.
John Cooney is an Irish rugby union player who plays scrum-half for Irish provincial side Ulster in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup, having previously played for Leinster and Connacht, and has eleven caps for Ireland. Since joining Ulster in 2017, he has been nominated for EPCR European Player of the Year once, been named in the Pro14 Dream Team four times, and been Ulster's player of the year twice.
Jack Carty is a rugby union player from Ireland. His primary position is at fly-half. Having started out with his hometown club, Buccaneers, Carty currently plays for the team of his native province of Connacht in the United Rugby Championship, having come through the team's academy. He is Connacht's record points scorer in the Pro14, having overtaken Ian Keatley in March 2019. Carty is an Ireland international, having made his debut for the side against Italy in 2019.
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.
Dominic Robertson-McCoy is a professional rugby union player from New Zealand. He primarily plays as a prop and can play at both loosehead and tighthead. Robertson-McCoy currently plays for Irish provincial side Connacht in the United Rugby Championship. He previously played at provincial level in New Zealand for Northland. Robertson-McCoy is qualified to play for Ireland at international level through his grandfather from Mowhan in County Armagh.
