Hadleigh Parkes

Hadleigh William Parkes (born 5 October 1987) is a New Zealand-born Welsh international rugby union player, whose favoured position is at centre. He currently plays for Panasonic Wild Knights in the Top League.[1] Parkes also has a successful BBC sport rugby union column.

Hadleigh Parkes

Birth name	Hadleigh William Parkes
Date of birth	5 October 1987
Place of birth	Hunterville, New Zealand
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 1 ^1⁄2 in)
Weight	101 kg (223 lb)
School	Palmerston North Boys' High School
University	University of Canterbury Lincoln University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre Wing Fly-Half Current team Panasonic Wild Knights Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2010 2011–2014 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014–2020 2020- Manawatu Auckland Blues Kings Eastern Province Kings Hurricanes Scarlets Panasonic Wild Knights 13 41 13 5 2 6 122 0 (15) (60) (10) (0) (5) (5) (60) (0) Correct as of 13 August 2020 National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2017−2020 Wales 29 (25) Correct as of 13 August 2020

Club career

Super Rugby

Parkes made his provincial debut in 2010 for Manawatu. In 2011, he relocated to Auckland and in 2012 made his debut with the Blues.[2]

After one season with the Blues, he joined the Southern Kings for the 2013 season on a one-year contract.[3][4] After being an unused substitute in the Southern Kings' first ever game against the Force,[5] he did make his debut for them by coming off the bench in their second game of the season against the Sharks[6] and then started in their next three games. However, he suffered a broken arm in the Kings' match against the Hurricanes in Wellington[7] and was out of action for more than three months.[8] He made his return for the final match of the season, starting as a winger against the Sharks.[9] He also played in both 2013 Super Rugby promotion/relegation matches, failing to help the Kings retain their Super Rugby status.

He made his first of two appearances in the South African domestic Currie Cup competition in the opening fixture of the 2013 Currie Cup First Division season, when he started the match against the Pumas.[10]

He returned to New Zealand after the Super Rugby promotion/relegation matches to captain Auckland in the 2013 ITM Cup.[11]

Scarlets

After the end of the 2014 ITM Cup season, Parkes moved to the Scarlets, one of the four professional Welsh regional teams.[12] He was reunited with former Auckland head coach Wayne Pivac at the West Wales region.

Parkes made his debut off the bench in a European Rugby Champions Cup match against Ulster. His first start came two weeks later in the West Wales derby against the Ospreys. Parkes scored his first Scarlets try against Munster, and he was also awarded man of the match for his performance in that game.[13] Then in 2016/2017 season he and the scarlets won the Pro14 title with a win over Munster. That earned him a permanent place at centre for the Scarlets.

His good form at the start of the 2017/2018 season earned him his first Wales cap under the 3-year residence rule. He player a huge part in Scarlets coming 1st in the Pro14 and reaching the final losing to Leinster who they also lost to in the champions cup semi finals which Leinster won. Despite Wales having big success in 2018/2019, the Scarlets struggled and came 4th missing out on a Pro14 play off spots and missing out on the champions cup for the first time in years. Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac departed for Wales with fellow New Zealander Brad Mooar coming in but Parkes and his fellow Wales teammates have not played much of the 2019/2020 because of 2019 World Cup and 2020 Six Nations.

In April 2020, Parkes left the Scarlets to join Japanese team Panasonic Wild Knights, which would end his Wales and Scarlets career.[14]

International career

Wales

Parkes was selected in the Wales national team for the 2017 Autumn International fixtures and made his debut in the final match against South Africa on 2 December 2017, after he became eligible under the three years residence criteria; he played at inside centre and was named man of the match after scoring two tries. His form in the Autumn Internationals and for Scarlets saw him selected to start against Scotland, England, Ireland and Italy in the 2018 Six Nations Championship, scoring a try and earning the man of the match award against Italy.[15][16] On Saturday 16 March 2019 he scored Wales's only try in the second minute of their 25-7 Grand Slam victory over Ireland in Cardiff, courtesy of a crafty chip over the Irish defence from fly-half and fellow New Zealander Gareth Anscombe.

In 2019 he was called up for Wales for the 2019 Rugby World Cup squad where a he scored a try v Australia. Parkes played in 6 of the 7 games at the World Cup with Wales coming 4th, losing to eventual winners South Africa in the semi finals.

References

1. "It's Rugby profile". itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
2. "Blues player profile". Blues. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
3. "Kings to make three signings". EWN Sport. 3 October 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
4. "SA Rugby Squad – Southern Kings : 2013 Vodacom Super Rugby". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Southern Kings 22-10 Force". South African Rugby Union. 23 February 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
6. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Southern Kings 12-21 Sharks". South African Rugby Union. 9 March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
7. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Hurricanes 46-30 Southern Kings". South African Rugby Union. 30 March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
8. "Parkes blow for Kings". Sport24. 30 March 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
9. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Sharks 58-13 Southern Kings". South African Rugby Union. 13 July 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
10. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Eastern Province Kings 13-29 Steval Pumas". South African Rugby Union. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
11. "Parkes leads strong Auckland". Planet Rugby. 6 August 2013. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
12. "Hadleigh Parkes arrives at the Parc". Scarlets. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
13. "Scarlets remain unbeaten at home despite late Munster comeback". Scarlets. 21 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
14. "Hadleigh Parkes pays tribute to Scarlets supporters as he confirms Japan move". Scarlets. 25 May 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
15. "Hadleigh Parkes Drafted Wales Squad Autumn". Retrieved 27 October 2017.
16. "New Zealand-born centre Hadleigh Parkes handed Wales debut for South Africa clash and scores à try". The Telegraph. 30 November 2017. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 1 December 2017.