A Great Britain and England international representative forward, he played his club rugby for English sides Widnes and St Helens.
[3] He played for Widnes at prop in their 8-15 defeat by Wigan in the 1971 Lancashire Cup Final at Knowsley Road, St. Helens on Saturday 28 August 1971.
[4] He played at loose forward in Widnes' 0-5 defeat by Leigh in the 1972 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final at Central Park, Wigan on Tuesday 19 December 1972.
Nicholls played at second-row in St. Helens' 2-25 defeat by the 1975 NSWRFL season premiers, Eastern Suburbs Roosters in the unofficial 1976 World Club Challenge at Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday 29 June 1976.
[5] In the 1978 Challenge Cup Final Nicholls was in the St Helens team which lost 14-12 to Leeds, but he won the Lance Todd Trophy.