{{Short description|England international rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Use British English|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Nic Dolly | image = | birth_name = Nicholas Dolly | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|6|11|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Sydney]], [[Australia]] | death_date = | death_place = | height = 1.8m | weight = 103kg | school = | relatives = | position = [[Rugby union positions#Hooker|Hooker]] | currentclub = [[Western Force]] | years1 = 2017–2020 | clubs1 = [[Sale Sharks]] | apps1 = 4 | points1 = 0 | years2 = 2017–2018 | clubs2 = → [[Rotherham Titans]] | apps2 = 6 | points2 = 0 | years3 = 2017–2019 | clubs3 = → [[Sale FC Rugby Club|Sale F.C.]] | apps3 = 22 | points3 = 15 | years4 = 2019–2020 | clubs4 = → [[Jersey Reds]] | apps4 = 11 | points4 = 15 | years5 = 2021 | clubs5 = [[Coventry R.F.C.|Coventry]] | apps5 = 3 | points5 = 15 | years6 = 2021–2024 | clubs6 = [[Leicester Tigers]] | apps6 = 32 | points6 = 60 | years7 = 2025– | clubs7 = [[Western Force]] | apps7 = 24 | points7 = 25 | repyears1 = 2017 | repteam1 = {{nruu|England|18}} | repcaps1 = 5 | reppoints1 = 0 | repyears2 = 2019 | repteam2 = {{nruu|England|20}} | repcaps2 = 9 | reppoints2 = 0 | repyears3 = 2021 | repteam3 = {{nrut|England}} | repcaps3 = 1 | reppoints3 = 0 | clubupdate = 30 May 2026 | repupdate = 20 November 2021 }}
'''Nic Dolly''' (born 11 June 1999)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/player/298265.html| publisher=ESPN|work=ESPN Scrum|access-date=27 March 2021|title=Nic Dolly profile}}</ref> is a professional [[rugby union]] player who plays as a [[Rugby union positions#Hooker|hooker]] for [[Western Force]] in [[Super Rugby]]. He previously played for [[Leicester Tigers]] in [[Premiership Rugby]].<ref name="Profile">{{cite web|url=https://www.leicestertigers.com/player/nic-dolly|publisher=Leicester Tigers|title=Nic Dolly Leicester Tigers profile|access-date=27 March 2021}}</ref>
Born in Australia, Dolly is English qualified though his mother,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2021/10/18/rapid-rise-nic-dolly-championship-rugby-england-call-up-matter/|title=The rapid rise of Nic Dolly: From Championship rugby to England call-up in a matter of months|first=Ben|last=Coles|website=The Daily Telegraph|date=18 October 2021|accessdate=26 November 2021}}</ref> represented the [[England national under-20 rugby union team|England under 20 side]] at the [[2019 World Rugby Under 20 Championship]]<ref name="Profile"/><ref name="Tigers">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56537450|work=BBC Sport| title=Nic Dolly: Leicester Tigers sign Coventry hooker| date=26 March 2021 | access-date=26 March 2021}}</ref> and made his debut for the [[England national rugby union team|senior England team]] in 2021.
==Early life== Dolly grew up in [[Sydney]], [[Australia]] and initially played rugby union for [[Eastwood Rugby Club]] and [[New South Wales Waratahs]] junior age sides.<ref name="Profile"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/all/domestic-club-rugby-union/national-leagues/national-league-2s/313656/young-guns-105/|work=The Rugby Paper|date=10 February 2019| access-date=27 March 2021| title= NATIONAL LEAGUE 2S YOUNG GUNS: Nic Dolly}}</ref> His maternal grandparents lived in [[Denton, Greater Manchester]] and while on an extended visit he was spotted by [[Sale Sharks]]. He subsequently joined their under 18s.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/the-sydney-junior-set-to-play-for-eddie-s-england-against-wallabies-20211019-p591al.html|title=The Sydney junior set to play for Eddie's England against Wallabies|first=Sam|last=Phillips|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=19 October 2021|accessdate=26 November 2021}}</ref>
==Career== In 2017 Dolly signed a five-year contract with [[Sale Sharks]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.salesharks.com/2017/07/25/sale-sharks-announce-groundbreaking-five-year-deals-for-academy-graduates/|work=Sale Sharks|date=25 July 2017|access-date=27 March 2021|title=SALE SHARKS ANNOUNCE GROUNDBREAKING FIVE YEAR DEALS FOR ACADEMY GRADUATES}}{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> before spending time on dual-registration with [[Rotherham Titans]] in the [[RFU Championship]],<ref name="ra">{{cite news |url=https://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/sport/view,england-u18-starlet-back-with-titans_25207.htm?cmpredirect|title=England U18 starlet back with Titans|first=Paul|last=Rickett|website=Rotherham Advertiser|date=11 January 2018|access-date=27 March 2021}}</ref> and [[Sale FC Rugby Club|Sale F.C.]] in [[National League 2 North]]. In 2017 he also represented the [[England national under-18 rugby union team|England under-18 team]].<ref name="ra"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.premiershiprugby.com/2017/03/12/england-under-18s-see-off-scottish-counterparts-in-preston/|title=England under-18s see off Scottish counterparts in Preston|first=Sam|last=Diamond|website=Premiership Rugby|date=12 March 2017|accessdate=26 November 2021}}</ref> On 28 August 2019 [[Jersey Reds]] announced the signing of Dolly of a year long loan.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://jerseyeveningpost.com/sport/rugby/2019/08/28/hooker-dolly-arrives-as-maddison-flies-for-falcons/|title=Hooker Dolly arrives as Maddison flies for Falcons|first=Jason|last=Fox|website=Jersey Evening Post|date=28 August 2019|accessdate=27 March 2021}}</ref> He represented [[England national under-20 rugby union team|England under-20]] in the [[2019 Six Nations Under 20s Championship]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/47302962|title=Under-20s Six Nations: Wales 11-10 England|publisher=BBC Sport|date=22 February 2019|access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref> and was also a member of the squad that finished fifth at the [[2019 World Rugby Under 20 Championship]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/48725050|title=World Rugby U20 Championship: England U20 45-26 Wales U20|publisher=BBC Sport|date=22 June 2019|access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref>
In February 2021 Dolly joined [[Coventry R.F.C.|Coventry]] for the delayed [[2020–21 RFU Championship|2021 RFU Championship season]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.coventryrugby.co.uk/2021/02/24/coventry-bolsters-squad-with-new-faces/|work=Coventry Rugby| date=24 February 2021| access-date=27 March 2021|title=Coventry bolsters squad with new faces}}</ref> and scored three tries in as many matches. On 26 March 2021 he joined local rivals [[Leicester Tigers]] on what was reported as a multi-year deal.<ref name="Tigers"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/leicester-tigers-rugby-nic-dolly-5230820|title=Leicester Tigers sign prolific try-scoring hooker|first=Bobby|last=Bridge|website=Leicester Mercury|date=26 March 2021|accessdate=27 March 2021}}</ref>
Dolly made his first [[Premiership Rugby|Premiership]] start against [[Exeter Chiefs]] on 18 September 2021, Dolly scored two tries, the first forward to do so on his Premiership debut for over 20 years.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/leicester-tigers-exeter-chiefs-report-5937872|title=OPINION: 'Harlem Globe-Tigers' try for the ages set tone for epic Leicester victory|first=Bobby|last=Bridge|website=Leicester Mercury|date=19 September 2021|accessdate=26 September 2021}}</ref> The following week he scored again in a win versus [[Gloucester Rugby|Gloucester]] and was named as [[BT Sport|BT Sports']] ''man of the match''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/rugby/match-reports/gloucester-leicester-tigers-match-report-5969120|title=Leicester Tigers send alarm bells ringing across Gallagher Premiership after perfect start|first=Bobby|last=Bridge|website=Leicester Mercury|date=25 September 2021|accessdate=26 September 2021}}</ref>
He scored further tries against [[London Irish]] and [[Worcester Warriors]], after which Dolly was called up to the senior England squad in October 2021 for Tests against Tonga, Australia and South Africa.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/oct/18/england-rugby-squad-autumn-test-series-farrell-vunipola-george|title=Jones backs Farrell for England as Saracens trio and Ford sidelined|first=Luke|last=McLaughlin|website=The Guardian|date=18 October 2021|accessdate=19 October 2021}}</ref>
Dolly made his international debut for [[England national rugby union team|England]] against [[South Africa national rugby union team|South Africa]] on 20 November 2021.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59361364|title=England clinch dramatic 27-26 win over South Africa at Twickenham|first=Mike|last=Henson|website=BBC Sport|date=20 November 2021|accessdate=26 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/eddie-jones-england-marcus-smith-south-africa-australia-b1962106.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/eddie-jones-england-marcus-smith-south-africa-australia-b1962106.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Eddie Jones delighted by instant impact of England's rising stars|first=Duncan|last=Bech|website=The Independent|date=22 November 2021|accessdate=26 November 2021}}</ref> Dolly was selected in the squad for the [[2022 Six Nations Championship]] but did not feature in the matches, his form for Leicester earned him a call up to an England training camp in May 2022 but on 21 May 2022 Dolly suffered a significant knee injury following an illegal crocodile roll by [[Adam Brocklebank]] as Leicester beat Newcastle 27–5.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/may/21/newcastle-leicester-premiership-rugby-union-match-report|work=The Guardian|author=Ross Hepenstall|title=Leicester cruise past Newcastle despite Nic Dolly's serious knee injury |date=21 May 2022|access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref>
After an injury plagued spell Dolly was released from Leicester in April 2024, and quickly signed with [[Western Force]], the Perth, Australia, based side.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rugbyworld.com/news/australia-born-england-hooker-moves-back-down-under-and-could-play-for-wallabies-168136|work=Rugby World|date=19 April 2024|access-date=28 July 2024|title=Australia-born England hooker moves back Down Under and could play for Wallabies|first1=Sarah|last1=Rendell}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== *{{sport links}}
{{Western Force squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dolly, Nic}} [[Category:1999 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Australian rugby union players]] [[Category:Australian expatriate rugby union players in England]] [[Category:England international rugby union players]] [[Category:Sale Sharks players]] [[Category:Coventry R.F.C. players]] [[Category:Jersey Reds players]] [[Category:Leicester Tigers players]] [[Category:Rugby union hookers]] [[Category:Sportspeople of English descent]] [[Category:English rugby union players]] [[Category:Rugby union players from Sydney]] [[Category:Western Force players]] [[Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen]]