Nick Duncombe (January 21, 1982—February 14, 2003) was a promising English rugby union footballer who won two international caps before dying aged 21 of meningitis contracted while on what has erroneously been described as a warm-weather training trip to Spain with his club Harlequins. In reality, it was a short break, to Lanzarote, with his club colleague, Nathan Williams.
Duncombe, a scrum-half, also represented England in sevens at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. He was educated at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe.
Dan Luger, another established England international, was also due to be on the trip with Nick Duncombe, but was called into the England squad to play France at Twickenham.
A statue of Nick is displayed at Harlequins Twickenham home, The Stoop.
Famous quotes containing the word nick:
“In any weather, at any hour of the day or night, I have been anxious to improve the nick of time, and notch it on my stick too; to stand on the meeting of two eternities, the past and the future, which is precisely the present moment; to toe that line.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)