Super Rugby Pacific: Western Force hooker Nic Dolly’s Wallabies dream, three years on from England debut

After eight years abroad, which featured one of the most unlikely Test debuts of all time, new Western Force recruit Nic Dolly has signalled his intent to reignite his international career with the Wallabies. And with plenty of competition for the hooker position at the Force, the one-cap England front-rower believes Perth is the perfect place to do so. “I’m super hungry to get back to playing international rugby,” Dolly told The West Australian. “The way the Force are heading, and the Wallabies with Joe Schmidt involved, where they’re heading, it seems really positive. “With the British and Irish Lions coming over and the World Cup in 2027, hopefully we’ll see a big injection of rugby and publicity, and everyone can get behind their provincial sides and the Wallabies.” With the Force having re-commenced preparations for the Super Rugby Pacific season ahead of February 15’s opener against Moana Pasifika, Dolly’s trademark mullet and rich backstory will likely make him a fan favourite among the Sea of Blue. Born in Australia, Dolly was once considered not good enough for the New South Wales schoolboy team — but a holiday to England as a teenager resulted in him being spotted and offered a contract by Premiership club Sale Sharks. Fast forward to 2021, and by then at Leicester Tigers, Dolly was handed an international debut for England, the country of his mother’s birth, by then-coach Eddie Jones. Three years on from Dolly’s sole international game, he is once more eligible for Australia and the 25 year-old is eager to represent the Wallabies. His quest starts at the Force, and his competition for the number two jersey at the Force will be stiff as he battles of fellow recruit and Wallabies hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa and incumbent Tom Horton. “It’s exciting, isn’t it? You wouldn’t want to be in a position where you’re almost guaranteed a spot, because I feel then you can rest on your laurels, and it can actually affect your game,” Dolly said. “If anything, it’s almost a blessing in disguise in the sense every day you have to be performing. You can’t miss a day, otherwise potentially, you might be the unlucky one that doesn’t play.” After close to a decade abroad, the Sydney-raised Dolly is enjoying being back in Australia, but credited his time in England with putting him on the path to professional rugby. “I was only planning on being there eight weeks, and it ended up being eight years,” he said. “I definitely wouldn’t have seen it coming if you told me eight years ago I would be in a position I am now and have done the things that I’ve been lucky enough to be able to do and experience and learn off the best. I probably would have bit your hand off that opportunity.” Having slipped through the cracks as a teenager in New South Wales, Dolly said he was one of the lucky ones, but there were plenty lost to the system who never got the chance he did. “Unfortunately, some people probably don’t get given the chance at all to step into a professional environment and maybe that’s all they’re missing: the opportunity to get in front of people who see their potential,” he said. “I don’t think if I had stayed in Australia, I would be in this position now.” Dolly’s performances in England were not the only thing that was well-received, as fans and teammates alike had plenty of praise for his identifiable blonde mullet. “The boys used to say maybe the mullets is taking on a personality of its own and if I shaved it, maybe I’d have to have a personality,” he said. “When I was at Leicester in particular and playing quite a bit, you speak to the fans and it was quite cool to hear that their kids were inspired by the haircut. “If you’re having a good impact on people and their families then you’re obviously doing something right.”