Consistency is key for Wales and Hadleigh Parkes
The consistency that Hadleigh Parkes brings to his rugby is mirrored in Wales’ solid 2018 which has seen the Red Dragons rise to No 3 in the world rankings.
After qualifying for Wales on residency grounds just over a year ago, the 31-year-old Parkes has followed in the footsteps of Shane Howarth, Brett Sinkinson, Matt Cardey, Sonny Parker, Dale McIntosh and currently (good mate) Gareth Anscombe as Kiwis who have worn the Welsh national colours. The midfielder now has 11 test caps to his credit and looks to have seen off the claims of Jamie Roberts, a year his senior and a player who racked up 94 caps in a fine career.
It may not be entirely coincidental that Parkes, who hails from the small Wanganui town of Hunterville, has earnt his international spurs during a period of growth for Warren Gatland’s men. Nine straight test victories, a second place in the 2018 Six Nations, a 2-0 series win in Argentina, two defeats of the Springboks, a clean sweep of the autumn tests, including a long-awaited positive result over the Wobbly Wallabies. It was a big year for Parkes off the field too. He married just after the tour of Argentina.
Parkes has brought his consistent, almost understated play, with a low error-rate, invariably the right decision-making. Yet he left New Zealand rugby in 2013 as a journeyman, capable of playing two or three positions, yet seemingly without that X-factor that New Zealanders demand of their midfielders.
“Gats and Rob Howley have come out and said they want to build depth before the Rugby World Cup. They took a younger squad to Argentina that went really well and then beat Australia for the first time in nearly a decade. That was a monkey off the back. We’ve won five on the bounce against South Africa. The form is good and there’s competition for places. Hopefully those performances can continue. There’s a big Six Nations before then,” says Parkes.
Wales is looking odds-on to qualify for at least the RWC quarters, out of a pool that features Australia, Fiji, Georgia and Uruguay.
“If everything goes to plan, and we continue to win those close ones, there’s no reason why we can’t reach that stage. You don’t know what to expect with Australia. They are a good side going through a situation at the moment. Fiji beat France in Paris last month, so they might be a hidden gem as well,” Parkes declares.
He is thriving under the Gatland style, admitting his rugby OE has panned out rather better than he would ever have imagined.
“I’m really enjoying it. A lot of the Northern Hemisphere teams bring a lot more line speed on defence compared to the Southern Hemisphere. It’s an opportunity that I never thought I would have, so I’m loving it,” says Parkes.
Winning over the hard-bitten fans of the Scarlets and Wales is never that easy, but if you play well and win, that is always helpful. The Scarlets fans will still remind you of their famous 9-3 win over the 1972 All Blacks. Parkes loves it in Llanelli and is signed on until the end of the 2019-20 season.
Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac was always a fan of Parkes, back in his 2012-13 days coaching Auckland, and he has not been averse to preferring Parkes ahead of Wales and Lions centre Jonathan Davies in the past. Now, with Manu Samoa rep Kieron Fonotia also in the mix, there is plenty of rotation in that Scarlets midfield.
Parkes is, naturally swift to endorse Pivac’s appointment as Wales head coach, post Rugby World Cup.
“It’s an exciting appointment for him. It also shows there’s a pathway within Wales if you do well at club level. We haven’t gone as well this season, but from where the Scarlets were four years ago when Wayne turned up, we’ve won the PRO12, made it to the PRO14 final and a European semifinal. He’s done really well and respected the values and ethos they have in West Wales.”
This weekend sees the Scarlets travel to Ulster in the Champions Cup but, after, losing by one point at home to the Irish province last weekend, they are out of the playoffs reckoning.
Rugby World Cup City Guides – Oita:
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to comments