Name Nick Royle Weight 83 kg | Height 1.82 m | |
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Born 25 September 1983 (age 40) Position(s) Wing 2003-04 Widnes Vikings 2004-05 Warrington Rugby union career (Position) Wing 2002-03 Manchester 2003-04 Liverpool SH 2005-12 Fylde 2005-12 Sale Sharks 2012-14 Vale of Lune 2014- Caldy International career (2007, 2009) England Counties XV International career(2009-12) England Sevens Nationality British Similar Jake Abbott, Stuart Abbott, Joe El Abd | ||
Nick Royle (born 1983) is a current England Rugby Sevens International rugby union player. He plays as a winger.
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Rugby league
Educated at Wade Deacon High School in Widnes, Royle has a strong rugby league background emanating from the age of six at local club Halton Hornets. He went on to appear for Widnes Vikings and Warrington Wolves, as well as Sale Sharks, Fylde Rugby Club and Vale of Lune in the Union game. Nick's best memory before joining England Sevens was a 70-metre try on his Super League debut in a 24-16 Widnes win over Warrington. Royle was noted for his speed, however his defensive frailties were exposed and he chose to move to the 15-a-side code and then onto the Sevens circuit.
Rugby union
Previously unknown to most, Royle emerged as a talent on the IRB Sevens World Series scene with four tries in his debut tournament in Dubai in early December 2009 that has led to 29 overall so far. They include four off the bench in the final event of 2009-10 at Murrayfield, one against France in Las Vegas in February this year and another in the USA match in Hong Kong the following month.
In early April, he became the Adelaide tournament’s overall leading try-scorer with eight, having bagged successive hat tricks in the opening matches against Scotland and Papua New Guinea before plundering two in the next game against Argentina.
A powerful and irrepressible runner, he even scored in four consecutive matches spanning the Dubai and George tournaments in 2009, a telling tally that introduced him to opposing defences in an exalted competition.
In 2011, he finished best try scorer of the Sevens Grand Prix Series with 35 tries.
In 2013 he plays for Vale of Lune currently heading the try scoring tables in North West League One
Personal life
Royle and his wife Victoria appeared on BBC Three series Don't Tell The Bride.
Royle is also a keen metal detectorist.