Nicola Howat

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Nicola Howat
Date of birth (1997-03-25) 25 March 1997 (age 24)
Place of birthMelrose, Scotland
Height1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Weight80 kg (180 lb; 12 st 8 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015-2019 Howe of Fife ()
2020-present Sale Sharks ()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018–present Scotland 7 (0)

Nicola Howat (born 25 March 1997) is a Scottish rugby player from Edinburgh who has played in multiple Women's Six Nations Championships, including the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship.[1]

Club career[]

Howat's first club was Howe of Fife’s senior team. She played for them while still at school and continued to play for them after she started at Edinburgh University.[2] Howat was selected as Howe of Fife 2015/16 Player of the Season.[3] In their 2016/17 season, Howat was part of the team won the BT National Division 2 Championship, gaining them promotion to BT National Division 1.[4]

In 2017, she was part of the Edinburgh University team that won the BUCS Championship (British Universities & College Sport) trophy at Twickenham.[5] The team won the league, championship cup and championship 7s all in the same year.[6]

In 2018, she captained the Edinburgh University Ladies Rugby Football Club’s 1st XV.[7]

Since 2020, Nicola has played for Manchester based Sale Sharks, where she plays alongside fellow Scottish international players scrum-half Mhairi Grieveand and back-row Lucy Winter.[8]

In her club career, she started as a back row, but moved into second-row as her main position as she increased her practice.[9]

International career[]

Howat began her international career by playing for the Scotland U20s against Belgium in 2016.[10] Howat represented Scotland in the U19s, U20s and at Sevens, before joining the Scottish Rugby Union Academy programme in 2017.[11]

She made the starting XV in her first cap for Scotland against France in the 2018 Women's Six Nations under the guidance of coach Shade Munro.[12]

She also played in the 2019 Women's Six Nations Championship.[13]

In the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship, Howat started on the bench in matches against England, Italy and Wales.[14]

Personal life[]

Howat started playing rugby in her third year at Bell Baxter High School, which fellow Scottish rugby players Pete Horne and George Horne also attended.[15] She joined local club Howe of Fife Ladies while in her final years of school, in the club's first year.[16]

The Edinburgh University student studied for a Veterinary Medicine degree, completing her studies in 2019.[17]

She started her career as a small animals vet in October 2020.[18] During the pandemic she based herself between Cupar and St Andrews in Fife, training for the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship and aiding her father with lambing season.[19] In 2021, she relocated to Manchester to play for Sale Sharks.[20]

Honours[]

  • Winner of the 2016/17 British Universities & College Sport (BUCS) Championship with Edinburgh University[21]
  • Winner of the 2016/17 BUCS Championship Women's Sevens with Edinburgh University[22]
  • Winner of the 2016/17 BUCS Premier North League with Edinburgh University[23]

References[]

  1. ^ "Helen Nelson wants Scotland to end Six Nations on a high but knows ultimate goal is World Cup qualification". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  2. ^ June 2020, Gary Heatly Monday 15. "Howat not feeling sheepish as she prepares to test herself in the top-flight". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  3. ^ June 2020, Gary Heatly Monday 15. "Howat not feeling sheepish as she prepares to test herself in the top-flight". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  4. ^ "Howe hold their nerve to close out league title". www.fifetoday.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  5. ^ "Interview: women's university rugby captain, Nicola Howat, looks ahead to Varsity and the new season - The Student". studentnewspaper.org. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  6. ^ "RBS Scottish Varsity Preview: University of Edinburgh women look to hold on to silverware". Scottish Rugby Union. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  7. ^ "Interview: women's university rugby captain, Nicola Howat, looks ahead to Varsity and the new season - The Student". studentnewspaper.org. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  8. ^ June 2020, Gary Heatly Monday 15. "Howat not feeling sheepish as she prepares to test herself in the top-flight". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  9. ^ June 2020, Gary Heatly Monday 15. "Howat not feeling sheepish as she prepares to test herself in the top-flight". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  10. ^ Barnes, David (2016-03-16). "Women Under-20s squad announced". The Offside Line. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  11. ^ "Sale Sharks Women sign Scottish International Duo". Sale Sharks. 2020-06-05. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  12. ^ "Scotland Women remain positive - Munro". BBC Sport. 2019-02-21. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  13. ^ "Four changes to Scotland Women for Wales clash". Six Nations Rugby. 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  14. ^ "Scotland Women's Six Nations Squad 2021 - Scotland 27-20 Wales". Rugby World. 2021-04-24. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  15. ^ June 2020, Gary Heatly Monday 15. "Howat not feeling sheepish as she prepares to test herself in the top-flight". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  16. ^ "Interview: women's university rugby captain, Nicola Howat, looks ahead to Varsity and the new season - The Student". studentnewspaper.org. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  17. ^ "Women's Rugby at Edinburgh". The University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  18. ^ June 2020, Gary Heatly Monday 15. "Howat not feeling sheepish as she prepares to test herself in the top-flight". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  19. ^ June 2020, Gary Heatly Monday 15. "Howat not feeling sheepish as she prepares to test herself in the top-flight". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  20. ^ "Nicola Howat". Sale Sharks. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  21. ^ "Interview: women's university rugby captain, Nicola Howat, looks ahead to Varsity and the new season - The Student". studentnewspaper.org. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  22. ^ "RBS Scottish Varsity Preview: University of Edinburgh women look to hold on to silverware". Scottish Rugby Union. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  23. ^ "RBS Scottish Varsity Preview: University of Edinburgh women look to hold on to silverware". Scottish Rugby Union. Retrieved 2021-05-28.

External links[]

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