Miah Nikora
Encyclopedia
Miah Nikora is a New Zealand rugby union
footballer who plays in the position of first five-eighths/Fly Half (fly-half) for Connacht
in the RaboDirect Pro12. He has also played at fullback in the past.
Nikora is a former New Zealand Under-21, Under-19 and Secondary Schools representative. He first came to prominence playing in the Gisborne Boys' High School
First XV.
he moved to Wellington
. In 2006 Nikora was loaned by Wellington
to asman Rugby Union|] for two years, at the completion of which Tasman was planning to sign Nikora for a further period. However, a condition in the loan agreement stated that if either Jimmy Gopperth
or Tamati Ellison
got injured or made the All Blacks
for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
, Wellington could recall Nikora.
During Round Two of the 2006 Air New Zealand Cup
, Tamati Ellison
was injured and Nikora was drafted back to Wellington
. He was then named in the Hurricanes
' wider training group for the 2007 Super 14.
for the start of the 2009/2010 season. He regularly either starts or comes off the bench for Ian Keatley
in the Fly Half position. He will compete with Niall O'Connor
for the 10 jersey from the start of the 2011-2012 season, as Keatley has joined Munster
. In January 2011 Miah signed a contract extension of 2 years with Connacht, keeping him at the province until the end of the 2012/13 season. He will eligible to play for ireland
at the end of the 2011/2012 season on the 3 year residency rule.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who plays in the position of first five-eighths/Fly Half (fly-half) for Connacht
Connacht Rugby
Connacht Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Connacht that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 comprising teams from the Celtic nations plus Italy. Normally, it also competes in the second-tier pan-European club competition, the European Challenge Cup...
in the RaboDirect Pro12. He has also played at fullback in the past.
Nikora is a former New Zealand Under-21, Under-19 and Secondary Schools representative. He first came to prominence playing in the Gisborne Boys' High School
Gisborne Boys' High School
Gisborne Boys' High School is a boys' secondary school situated in Gisborne, New Zealand that was originally founded as a Co-Ed school in 1909 and was known as Gisborne High School. In 1956 the school became Gisborne Boys High School when the original school was split into two single-sex...
First XV.
New Zealand Provincial
After atarting out at Poverty BayPoverty Bay
Poverty Bay is the largest of several small bays on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island to the north of Hawkes Bay. It stretches for 10 kilometres from Young Nick's Head in the southwest to Tuaheni Point in the northeast. The city of Gisborne is located on the northern shore of the bay...
he moved to Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
. In 2006 Nikora was loaned by Wellington
Wellington Rugby Football Union
The Wellington Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the city of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand...
to asman Rugby Union|] for two years, at the completion of which Tasman was planning to sign Nikora for a further period. However, a condition in the loan agreement stated that if either Jimmy Gopperth
Jimmy Gopperth
James 'Jimmy' Gopperth is a rugby union player who plays for Newcastle Falcons in the Aviva Premiership. His position is first five-eighth and he played previously for the Hurricanes and Blues in the Super 14 and the Junior All Blacks...
or Tamati Ellison
Tamati Ellison
Tamati Ellison is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who plays for the Ricoh Black Rams in the Japanese Top League competition. His position is utility back. He previously played for Wellington in the Air New Zealand Cup and Super Rugby for the Hurricanes...
got injured or made the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
, Wellington could recall Nikora.
During Round Two of the 2006 Air New Zealand Cup
2006 Air New Zealand Cup
The 2006 Air New Zealand Cup is a provincial rugby union competition involving 14 teams from New Zealand. Matches started on Friday 28 July 2006, and the Grand Final was won by Waikato on 21 October 2006....
, Tamati Ellison
Tamati Ellison
Tamati Ellison is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who plays for the Ricoh Black Rams in the Japanese Top League competition. His position is utility back. He previously played for Wellington in the Air New Zealand Cup and Super Rugby for the Hurricanes...
was injured and Nikora was drafted back to Wellington
Wellington Rugby Football Union
The Wellington Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the city of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand...
. He was then named in the Hurricanes
Hurricanes (Super rugby franchise)
The Hurricanes are a New Zealand professional Rugby union team based in Wellington that competes in the Super Rugby competition...
' wider training group for the 2007 Super 14.
Connacht
Nikora joined ConnachtConnacht Rugby
Connacht Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Connacht that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 comprising teams from the Celtic nations plus Italy. Normally, it also competes in the second-tier pan-European club competition, the European Challenge Cup...
for the start of the 2009/2010 season. He regularly either starts or comes off the bench for Ian Keatley
Ian Keatley
Ian James T. Keatley is an Irish rugby union player for Munster in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup. He was capped by Ireland on their 2009 tour to North America when he lined out against Canada on 23 May 2009....
in the Fly Half position. He will compete with Niall O'Connor
Niall O'Connor
Niall O'Connor is a rugby union player for Connacht Rugby in the RaboDirect Pro12.He is also contracted to Belfast Harlequins who play in AIB League Division 2.O'Connor's position of choice is as a Fly-half....
for the 10 jersey from the start of the 2011-2012 season, as Keatley has joined Munster
Munster Rugby
Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
. In January 2011 Miah signed a contract extension of 2 years with Connacht, keeping him at the province until the end of the 2012/13 season. He will eligible to play for ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
at the end of the 2011/2012 season on the 3 year residency rule.
See also
- Super 14Super 14Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
- 2007 Super 14
- HurricanesHurricanes (Super rugby franchise)The Hurricanes are a New Zealand professional Rugby union team based in Wellington that competes in the Super Rugby competition...
- Air New Zealand CupAir New Zealand CupThe ITM Cup is New Zealand's annual professional domestic Rugby union competition, taking place from late July through October . It was founded in 2006 with 14 teams, after the National Provincial Championship was split into two separate competitions. The other 12 provincial teams from the NPC...
- 2006 Air New Zealand Cup Results2006 Air New Zealand CupThe 2006 Air New Zealand Cup is a provincial rugby union competition involving 14 teams from New Zealand. Matches started on Friday 28 July 2006, and the Grand Final was won by Waikato on 21 October 2006....
- 2006 Air New Zealand Cup Leading Points Scorer2006 Air New Zealand Cup Leading Points Scorer* After Waikato v Wellington Final...
- Wellington Rugby Football UnionWellington Rugby Football UnionThe Wellington Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the city of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand...
- Taranaki Rugby Football UnionTaranaki Rugby UnionTaranaki Rugby Football Union is the governing body of Rugby in the New Zealand province of Taranaki. The main stadium is Yarrow Stadium which is in the main centre of New Plymouth. Taranaki plays in the annual ITM Cup in which it also competes for the Ranfurly shield...
- Rugby UnionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...