{{Short description|Fiji international rugby union player}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2013}} {{BLP sources|date=June 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Nicky Little | image = Nicky Little.jpg | caption = Little in 2007 | birth_name = Nick Tyrone Little | birth_place = [[Tokoroa]], New Zealand | death_date = | death_place = | height = {{convert|1.83|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|96|kg|stlb lb|abbr=on}} | ru_position = [[Fly-half (rugby union)|Fly-half]] | ru_amupdate = | amatyears1 = 1994–1996 | amatteam1 = Te Awamutu | repteam1 = [[Fiji national rugby union team|Fiji]] | repyears1 = 1996–2011 | repcaps1 = 71 | reppoints1 = 670 | ru_ntupdate = | years1 = 1996–1997 | clubs1 = [[Canterbury Rugby Football Union|Canterbury]] | years2 = 1997–1998 | clubs2 = [[Waikato Rugby Union|Waikato]] | years3 = 1998–1999 | clubs3 = [[North Harbour Rugby Union|North Harbour]] | years4 = 1999–2001 | clubs4 = [[Sale Sharks|Sale]] | years5 = 2001 | clubs5 = [[US Dax|Dax]] | years6 = 2001–2002 | clubs6 = [[Pontypridd RFC|Pontypridd]] | years7 = 2002–2006 | clubs7 = [[Saracens F.C.|Saracens]] | years8 = 2006 | clubs8 = [[Rugby Calvisano|Calvisano]] | years9 = 2006–2009 | clubs9 = [[Petrarca Padova Rugby|Petrarca Padova]] | years10 = 2009–2010 | clubs10 = [[Bath Rugby|Bath]] | years11 = 2010–2011 | clubs11 = [[Bristol Rugby|Bristol]] | years12 = 2011–2012 | clubs12 = [[Esher RFC|Esher]] | years13 = 2012–2013 | clubs13 = [[Canterbury RFC|Canterbury]] | apps4 = 38 | points4 = 287 | apps6 = 14 | points6 = | apps7 = 49 | points7 = 287 | apps9 = 55 | points9 = 291 | apps10 = 21 | points10 = 123 | apps11 = 14 | points11 = 104 | apps12 = 10 | points12 = 32 | apps13 = 3 | points13 = 0 | ru_clubupdate = | ru_currentclub = | coachteams1 = Canterbury Academy | coachteams2 = [[Fiji national rugby union team|Fiji]] (assistant) | coachyears1 = 2012– | coachyears2 = 2013– | ru_coachupdate = | occupation = | spouse = | children = | relatives = [[Walter Little (rugby union)|Walter Little]] (uncle)<br /> [[Lawrence Little]] (uncle) | school = [[Te Awamutu College]] | birth_date={{Birth date and age|1976|9|13|df=yes}} }}
'''Nicky Tyrone Little''' (born 13 September 1976) is a former professional [[rugby union]] footballer. He plays at [[Fly-half (rugby union)|fly-half]]. He is a nephew of [[All Blacks]] centre [[Walter Little (rugby union)|Walter Little]], but represents Fiji at international level.
==Career== He has scored 652 points for Fiji and is the Pacific region's highest [[List of leading Rugby union Test point scorers|point scorer]]. He previously played for [[Canterbury Rugby Football Union|Canterbury]] and [[North Harbour Rugby Union|North Harbour]] in New Zealand provincial rugby, before moving to England where he played for the [[Sale Sharks]] in late 1999. He signed with [[US Dax|Dax]] in France, but soon moved to [[Pontypridd RFC|Pontypridd]], before signing with the [[Saracens F.C.|Saracens]].
Little made his test debut for [[Fiji national rugby union team|Fiji]] in 1996 in a match against the [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springboks]] in [[Pretoria]], at just 19 years of age. He finished the 2000 and 2001 Pacific Rim tournaments as the top points scorer. He entered the [[2003 Rugby World Cup]] as Fiji's all-time highest points scorer, with 488 points. He got four [[cap (sport)|caps]] for Fiji at the 2003 World Cup, scoring a total of 45 points in those games. At the 2007 event he starred as Fiji defeated [[Wales]] to reach the quarter-finals, but was injured late in the final group game, after straining his medial knee ligaments and missed the quarter-final.
On 15 July 2009, it was announced that Little had signed a one-year deal with [[Bath Rugby|Bath]], with Head Coach [[Steve Meehan]] stating that he would be in the squad for the tour to Portugal in late July 2009.
On 26 February 2010 it was announced that Little would be playing for [[Bristol Rugby]] from the 2010–11 season onwards.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fijian star Little joins Bristol |url=http://www.bristolrugby.co.uk/6611.php |publisher=BristolRugby.co.uk |access-date=19 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100302033705/http://www.bristolrugby.co.uk/6611.php |archive-date=2 March 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> But at the end of the 2010/2011 season it was announced that Little would be part of the clearout of players departing Bristol Rugby.
At the midpoint of the 2011/12 season, it was announced that Little was joining RFU Championship side Esher RFC.
At the start of the 2012/13 season Little became part of a joint venture with [[Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys]], and [[The Canterbury High School]]. Canterbury's Elite Rugby Player Development Centre, headed by Little, is the first of its kind within the country and its aim is to develop grass roots rugby within the area.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071107132705/http://www.ponty.net/little-nicky Pontypridd profile] *[http://www.bathrugby.com/team/index.php?player=3993&includeref=dynamic Bath Rugby] *[http://www.fijirugby.com/player.cfm?action=viewplayer&pid=FD0C514F-3048-78A8-DBE37756B95ABAD8 Fiji profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719164606/http://www.fijirugby.com/player.cfm?action=viewplayer&pid=FD0C514F-3048-78A8-DBE37756B95ABAD8 |date=19 July 2011 }} *{{ESPNscrum|12290}}
{{Fiji Squad 2011 Rugby World Cup}} {{Fiji Squad 2007 World Cup}} {{Fiji Squad 2003 World Cup}} {{Fiji Squad 1999 World Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Little, Nicky}} [[Category:1976 births]] [[Category:Fijian rugby union players]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Rugby union fly-halves]] [[Category:Canterbury rugby union players]] [[Category:North Harbour rugby union players]] [[Category:Pontypridd RFC players]] [[Category:Sale Sharks players]] [[Category:Saracens F.C. players]] [[Category:Bath Rugby players]] [[Category:Rugby union players from Tokoroa]] [[Category:Fiji international rugby union players]] [[Category:New Zealand people of Fijian descent]] [[Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby union players]] [[Category:Expatriate rugby union players in France]] [[Category:Fijian expatriate rugby union players in England]] [[Category:Fijian expatriate rugby union players in Scotland]] [[Category:Fijian expatriate rugby union players in Wales]] [[Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in England]] [[Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in France]] [[Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in Scotland]] [[Category:New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Wales]] [[Category:Fijian expatriate sportspeople in France]] [[Category:People educated at Te Awamutu College]] [[Category:1999 Rugby World Cup players]] [[Category:2003 Rugby World Cup players]] [[Category:2007 Rugby World Cup players]] [[Category:2011 Rugby World Cup players]]