New deal for Nichol

Cornwall RLFC are delighted to announce that Coby Nichol has signed a new one-year contract with the club, keeping him at the Memorial Ground for the 2024 Betfred League 1 season.

The utility back, who graduated through the academy at Super League giants Leeds Rhinos, first joined the Choughs as part of a dual-registration agreement from former club Bradford Bulls in 2022. Nichol made three appearances for Cornwall during the club’s maiden professional campaign.

Nichol was released by Bradford at the end of 2022 with Cornwall moving quickly to secure the 20-year-old’s services.

He made 17 appearances for the Choughs in 2023 and bagged three tries, which included scoring in consecutive games against Dewsbury Rams, Midlands Hurricanes and Workington Town.

Nichol was instrumental in Cornwall’s fine finish to the season, which saw the side win four of their final seven games, to miss out on the play-offs by just four points.

“I’m buzzing to be back and really excited with everything that’s happening with the club,” Nichol told cornwallrlfc.co.uk.

“I feel like my time down here last year has helped me mature as a person and as a rugby league player too. When I first moved it was a big shock to system because I didn’t have mum or dad’s hand to hold. I had to fend for myself, get myself to training and this meant being professional and realising the sacrifices you have to make being a professional.

“We had some really good moments last season and that try against Dewsbury was really special. Backs score tries and I hadn’t got one before then, but the lads were tight around me and you could see what it meant to everyone involved with the club when I scored.

“Next year we will want to start the season faster and if we believe in ourselves, we can kick on again and deliver more good performances.”

Meanwhile, Cornwall RLFC head coach Mike Abbott, who has been nominated for the Betfred League 1 Coach of the Year Award, said: “Coby was a really big player for us in the second half of the season. We knew that once he got one try, he would get a few more and that is exactly how it panned out.

“He played most of the season at centre when ideally we would play him on the wing. The fact he excelled, regardless of where he played, shows how valuable he was in 2023 and will be again next year.”