Sonny Nickle

Sonny Nickle

Personal information
Full name	Sonny Julian Nickle
Born	(1969-05-04) 4 May 1969 (age 55) Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Playing information
Position	Prop, Second-row
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1987–88 Hunslet 26+1 8 0 0 32 1989–91 Sheffield Eagles 55+4 22 0 0 88 1991–95 St Helens 110+7 35 0 0 140 1995–98 Bradford Bulls 44+20 18 0 0 72 1999–02 St Helens 96+19 14 0 0 56 2003 Leigh Centurions 30 4 0 0 16 Total 412 101 0 0 404 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1995 England 1 0 0 0 0 1992–95 Great Britain 6 0 0 0 0 1992 GB tour games 0+2 0 0 0 0
Source: [1][2][3][4]

Sonny Nickle (born 4 May 1969) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. He played at club level as a prop or second-row for Hunslet, St Helens, Bradford Bulls, Sheffield Eagles and the Leigh Centurions.^[2][3][4]

Background

Sonny Nickle was born in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. He is the youngest of four brothers.

Playing career

Nickle joined St Helens from Sheffield Eagles in July 1991. St Helens paid Sheffield an initial fee of £80,000, set by an independent tribunal, and an additional £25,000 after Nickle was selected to play for Great Britain.^[5]

Sonny Nickle played second-row in St Helens 4–5 defeat by Wigan in the 1992 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1992–93 season at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Sunday 18 October 1992.^[6]

In 1995, he was part of the package put together by St Helens to bring Paul Newlove to the club from the Bradford Bulls. Sonny Nickle was an athletic forward who was a powerful runner. He enjoyed the distinction of representing Great Britain on six occasions.

Nickle played for Bradford at second-row in their 1996 Challenge Cup Final defeat by St Helens.^[7]

Nickle returned to St Helens in 1999, and played in their 1999 Super League Grand Final victory over Bradford Bulls. Having won the 1999 Championship, St. Helens contested in the 2000 World Club Challenge against National Rugby League Premiers the Melbourne Storm, with Nickle playing at hooker in the loss. Nickle appeared from the bench in the Saints' 2000 Super League Grand Final victory over Wigan Warriors. As Super League V champions, St. Helens played against 2000 NRL Premiers, the Brisbane Broncos in the 2001 World Club Challenge, Nickle played at prop in Saints' victory.

In September 2001, Nickle was suspended for six months for a tackle on Leeds Rhinos hooker Robbie Mears, which broke the Leeds player's jaw.^[8] The suspension was changed to a nine-match ban following an appeal.^[9] The club attempted to shorten the ban by allowing Nickle to sign a short-term contract with Northern Ford Premiership side Barrow Border Raiders, whose new season started earlier than St Helens.^[10] When Nickle re-signed with Saints, the RFL confirmed that Nickle had to serve the remainder of his ban, as the matches with Barrow would not count towards his suspension.^[11]

References

1. RL Record Keepers' Club
2. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
3. "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
4. "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
5. "Nickle Test worth a few dimes". The Guardian. 27 October 1993. p. 15 – via ProQuest.
6. "1992–1993 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2014. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
7. "steveprescottfoundation.co.uk". Steve Prescott Stats. Steve Prescott Foundation. Archived from the original on 8 August 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
8. Hadfield, Dave (12 September 2001). "Six-month ban may cost Nickle his Saints future". The Independent. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
9. Wilson, Andy (19 September 2001). "Nickle wins longer ban". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
10. Plummer, David (29 November 2001). "Nickle serves ban the easy way". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
11. "Nickle must serve ban". BBC Sport. 29 December 2001. Retrieved 27 August 2022.

External links

• Saints Heritage Society profile