{{Short description|South African rugby union player}} {{EngvarB|date=October 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}} {{Infobox rugby union biography | name = Nic Groom | image = | fullname = Nicholas James Groom | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1990|02|21}} | birth_place = [[King William's Town]], South Africa | height = {{height|m=1.71}} | weight = {{convert|81|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}} | nickname = | occupation = | school = [[Rondebosch Boys' High School]] | university = [[University of Cape Town]] | relatives = | position = [[Rugby union positions#Scrum-half|Scrum-half]] | currentclub = {{Rut|Edinburgh}} | youthyears1 = 2008–2011 | youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Western Province}} | years1 = 2011–2015 | clubs1 = {{Rut|Western Province}} | apps1 = 69 | points1 = 50 | years2 = 2011–2016 | clubs2 = {{Rut|Stormers}} | apps2 = 57 | points2 = 25 | years3 = 2016–2018 | clubs3 = [[Northampton Saints]] | apps3 = 49 | points3 = 35 | years4 = 2018–2019 | clubs4 = {{Rut|Lions}} | apps4 = 21 | points4 = 15 | years5 = 2018 | clubs5 = {{Rut|Golden Lions}} | apps5 = 4 | points5 = 5 | years6 = 2019–2021 | clubs6 = {{Rut|Edinburgh}} | apps6 = 22 | points6 = 25 | years7 = 2021 | clubs7 = {{Rut|London Irish}} | apps7 = 4 | points7 = 0 | years8 = 2021 | clubs8 = [[Tel Aviv Heat]] | apps8 = 0 | points8 = 0 | amatyears1 = 2010–2011 | amatteam1 = {{Rut|UCT Ikey Tigers}} | amatapps1 = 8 | amatpoints1 = 5 | repyears1 = 2015 | repteam1 = [[Barbarian F.C.|Barbarians]] | repcaps1 = 1 | reppoints1 = 0 | repyears2 = 2016 | repteam2 = [[South Africa 'A' national rugby union team|South Africa 'A']] | repcaps2 = 1 | reppoints2 = 0 | clubupdate = 4 February 2022 | repupdate = 27 May 2018 }}
'''Nicholas James Groom''' (born 22 February 1990) is a South African [[rugby union]] player. He plays as a [[Rugby union positions#9. Scrum-half|scrum-half]].
==Career== A winner of the [[Varsity Cup]] with UCT in 2011, Groom received a swift call up to the Stormers side at the tail-end of the Super Rugby season to replace the injured [[Dewaldt Duvenhage]] and [[Ricky Januarie]] and he made a couple of substitute appearances. The next 18 months were to see him limited to Western Province appearances and he was a Currie Cup winner with the Streeptruie in 2012. 2013 saw the departure of Duvenhage and Groom was now in a one-on-one fight with [[Louis Schreuder]] for the Stormers and Province number 9 jersey and as a result he saw much more game time. He was a Currie Cup runner up in 2013 and he largely had to make do with appearances from the substitutes bench as Schreuder stole a march in the battle to be first choice scrum-half. However, he was to become a Currie Cup winner again in 2014, this time against the {{Rut|Golden Lions}} in a season which had seen him edge ahead of Louis Schreuder both at Super Rugby level where he started 12 of 16 games in a tough campaign and also domestically where he started 7 of 9 games and scored 1 try in the process.
He signed a contract to join [[English Premiership (rugby union)|English Premiership]] side [[Northampton Saints]] at the end of the [[2016 Super Rugby season]] and has since become a regular started for the Midlands side.<ref name="DHL Stormers to bid Groom farewell">{{cite press release | url=http://thestormers.com/dhl-stormers-to-bid-groom-farewell | title=DHL Stormers to bid Groom farewell | publisher=Stormers | date=2 May 2016 | access-date=2 May 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502170103/http://thestormers.com/dhl-stormers-to-bid-groom-farewell | archive-date=2 May 2016}}</ref>
Groom has been a regular feature in the Saints' starting side and was instrumental in them securing [[European Rugby Champions Cup|European Champions Cup]] rugby for the 2017/18 season, featuring heavily in both the European Champions Cup play-off games where Saints saw off both [[Connacht Rugby]] and [[Stade Francais]] to secure their spot in the competition for the following season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/news/latest-headlines/2017/may-2017/saints-23-stade-francais-22-friday-night-may-lights-strike-again/|title = Northampton Saints Vs Stade Francais Paris | European Cup}}</ref> On 3 April 2018, it was announced that Groom would leave Northampton with immediate effect to join the [[Super Rugby]] team the {{Rut|Lions}}.<ref name="Nic Groom to leave Saints with immediate effect">{{cite press release | url=https://www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/news/latest-headlines/2018/april/nic-groom-to-leave-saints-with-immediate-effect/ | title=Nic Groom to leave Saints with immediate effect | publisher=Northampton Saints | date=3 April 2018 | access-date=3 April 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403103424/https://www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/news/latest-headlines/2018/april/nic-groom-to-leave-saints-with-immediate-effect | archive-date=3 April 2018 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all}}</ref>
On 27 June 2019, Groom returned to the UK with [[Pro14]] side [[Edinburgh Rugby|Edinburgh]] in Scotland from the 2019–20 season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.edinburghrugby.org/the-clubhouse/edinburgh-sign-south-african-scrum-half-groom|work=Edinburgh Rugby|title=Edinburgh sign South African scrum-half Groom|date=27 June 2019|access-date=17 April 2020|archive-date=22 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922172138/https://www.edinburghrugby.org/the-clubhouse/edinburgh-sign-south-african-scrum-half-groom|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was released on 22 April 2021<ref>{{Cite web|title=Duo depart Edinburgh Rugby|url=https://www.edinburghrugby.org/the-clubhouse/duo-depart-edinburgh|access-date=2021-05-05|website=Edinburgh Rugby|language=en}}</ref> and subsequently signed for [[Premiership Rugby]] team [[London Irish]] until the end of the [[2020–21 Premiership Rugby|2020–21 season]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-05|title=Nic Groom agrees short-term deal {{!}} 5th May 2021 {{!}} News|url=https://www.london-irish.com/news/nic-groom-agrees-shortterm-deal/bp2952/?fbclid=IwAR0-VfwKYAW5xGOq7HUte7cowPd8wwXvS0DiVoKxuzpL73N3FMrv7G-qSC8|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507122649/https://www.london-irish.com/news/nic-groom-agrees-shortterm-deal/bp2952/?fbclid=IwAR0-VfwKYAW5xGOq7HUte7cowPd8wwXvS0DiVoKxuzpL73N3FMrv7G-qSC8|url-status=usurped|archive-date=7 May 2021|access-date=2021-05-05|website=London Irish|language=en}}</ref>
==International rugby==
On 28 May 2016, Groom was included in a 31-man {{nrut|South Africa}} squad for their [[2016 mid-year rugby union internationals|three-test match series]] against a touring {{nrut|Ireland}} team.<ref name="Squad of 31 ushers in new era of Springbok rugby">{{SA Rugby Article | id=3548594 | leagueid=2724 | title=Squad of 31 ushers in new era of Springbok rugby | date=28 May 2016 | access-date=31 May 2016 | url=http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?id=3548594&leagueid=2724 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531064100/http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?id=3548594&leagueid=2724 | url-status=dead | archive-date=31 May 2016}}</ref> After training with the national team for a few days, he joined the [[South Africa 'A' national rugby union team|South Africa 'A']] squad for their [[2016 mid-year rugby union internationals|two-match series]] against a touring [[England Saxons]] team.<ref name="Ackermann to coach SA ‘A’ against Saxons">{{SA Rugby Article | id=3548614 | leagueid=3024 | title=Ackermann to coach SA 'A’ against Saxons | date=28 May 2016 | access-date=31 May 2016 | url=http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?id=3548614&leagueid=3024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531065757/http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?id=3548614&leagueid=3024 | url-status=dead | archive-date=31 May 2016}}</ref> He was named in the starting line-up for their first match in [[Bloemfontein]],<ref name="Youth and experience for SA ‘A’ opener against Saxons">{{SA Rugby Article | id=3563654 | leagueid=3024 | title=Youth and experience for SA 'A’ opener against Saxons | date=8 June 2016 | access-date=10 June 2016 | url=http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?id=3563654&leagueid=3024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610203333/http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?id=3563654&leagueid=3024 | url-status=dead | archive-date=10 June 2016}}</ref> but ended on the losing side as the visitors ran out 32–24 winners.<ref name="South Africa A 24-32 England Saxons">{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=164774 | homeid=33504 | awayid=33494 | leagueid=3024 | hometeam=South Africa "A" | homescore=24 | awayscore=32 | awayteam=England Saxons | matchdate=10 June 2016 | date=10 June 2016}}</ref>
==Super Rugby statistics==
{{updated|9 June 2020}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%; width:75%;" |- ! Season !! Team !! Games !! Starts !! Sub !! Mins !! Tries !! Points !! {{yel}} !! {{sent off}} |- | [[2011 Super Rugby season|2011]] || {{Rut|Stormers}} || 2 || 0 || 2 || 35 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- | [[2012 Super Rugby season|2012]] || {{Rut|Stormers}} || 0 || colspan="7" | |- | [[2013 Super Rugby season|2013]] || {{Rut|Stormers}} || 9 || 4 || 5 || 371 || 1 || 5 || 0 || 0 |- | [[2014 Super Rugby season|2014]] || {{Rut|Stormers}} || 16 || 12 || 4 || 924 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- | [[2015 Super Rugby season|2015]] || {{Rut|Stormers}} || 16 || 13 || 3 || 955 || 2 || 10 || 1 || 0 |- | [[2016 Super Rugby season|2016]] || {{Rut|Stormers}} || 14 || 10 || 4 || 765|| 2 || 10 || 0 || 0 |- | 2017|| colspan="9" | ''In Europe with [[Northampton Saints]]'' |- | [[2018 Super Rugby season|2018]] || {{Rut|Lions}} || 8 || 5 || 3 || 315|| 2 || 10 || 0 || 0 |- | [[2019 Super Rugby season|2019]] || {{Rut|Lions}}|| 13 || 7 || 6 || 579|| 1 || 5 || 0 || 0 |- !colspan="2" |Total || 78 || 51 || 27 || 3949|| 8 || 40 || 1 || 0 |}
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=45942 | name=Nic Groom | date=1 June 2016}} *[http://thestormers.com/backs/nic-groom-2/ Stormers profile] *[http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_22551.html itsrugby.co.uk profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Groom, Nic}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1990 births]] [[Category:South African rugby union players]] [[Category:Stormers players]] [[Category:South African people of British descent]] [[Category:Rugby union scrum-halves]] [[Category:Rugby union players from Qonce]] [[Category:Alumni of Rondebosch Boys' High School]] [[Category:Northampton Saints players]] [[Category:Lions (United Rugby Championship) players]] [[Category:Edinburgh Rugby players]] [[Category:London Irish players]] [[Category:Tel Aviv Heat players]] [[Category:South African expatriate sportspeople in Israel]] [[Category:Expatriate rugby union players in Israel]] [[Category:South African expatriate rugby union players in England]] [[Category:21st-century South African sportsmen]] [[Category:Ikey Tigers players]]