Frank Nicholson

Who is Frank Nicholson?

Frank Villenueve Nicholson was an Australian Boer War veteran and rugby union player, a state and national representative who made two Test appearances in 1903-1904, captaining the side on one occasion.

Nicholson, was born in Villeneuve, Queensland, a place renamed from Humberstone by his father who started the first sawmill in the area in 1877, founding the small town.

Nicholson, a prop, played thirteen times for Queensland between 1900 and 1904 with twelve of these matches played against New South Wales. The Howell reference claims that Nicholson's rugby career was interrupted by enlisted in the Boer War. He claimed a total of 2 international rugby caps for Australia. He appeared for Queensland against the touring New Zealanders in Brisbane in August 1903 and two weeks later made his international debut against the same tourists in Sydney, on 15 August 1903.

In 1904 he captained Queensland in the inter-state series and played alongside his brother Fred who scored a try in that match. Later that season he had the honour of captaining Australia in a Test match against a touring British Lions side. Australia lost the match 17-0.