Scotland international fly half Dan Parks has announced that he will retire from playing international rugby with immediate effect leaving Scotland without a first choice pivot for the rest of the Six nations.
rugbyweek
Parks was criticized after he had a clearance kick charged down in Saturday’s Six Nations loss to England at Murrayfield and has now called time on an eight year international career in which he won 67 caps for Scotland.
Thirty-three-year-old Parks said that he had been thinking of retiring for some time but after Scotland lost to England he felt it was the time to stop playing international rugby.
“I was thinking about it but the first game of the Six Nations was against England, the auld enemy, Jacko (Ruaridh Jackson) was injured and being able to play against England was huge for me as there was a sense of unfinished business.
“On reflection after the game, after talking it over with my family, girl-friend and close friends I’ve come to the decision that now is the right time to retire from the international game.
“There are some really talented guys coming through – Jacko (Ruaridh Jackson), Greig (Laidlaw) and Duncan (Weir) – and although I’m sad to be finishing my international career I have some fantastic memories of playing for Scotland and what that has meant to me.”
“This is not the end of me as a rugby player. My international career is over but I want to keep playing club rugby (for Cardiff Blues). I always enjoyed my time in Glasgow. It’s one of great cities I’ve visited, so who knows what will happen in the future.”
Scotland head coach Andy Robinson said: “I have really enjoyed working with Dan. It’s never an easy decision to make but I feel Dan has made the right decision and thank him for his contribution over the years.”
Parks’ half-back partner on many occasions, Edinburgh Rugby’s Mike Blair said: “The reaction of all the guys when Parksy announced his retirement said it all – stunned silence and emotion.
“Dan is a hugely popular and respected member of the squad and his contribution to some of Scotland’s most famous victories cannot be under-estimated.”
I was one of those who were very critical on Parks during and just after the weekend’s game…
Not only did he have a kick charged down, which resulted in a try, his kicking out of hand almost inevitably went upfield to somewhere in the middle of the pitch where the hungry English hand were just waiting for it… it was really shoddy kicking from Parks, to say the least.
He also struggled to get the Scottish line going on Saturday.
All in all, Saturday was a nightmare for him, a day he would want to forget.
But Parks was a good servant to Scotland over the years… so go well, Dan!
Yes, that was the difference between the 2 teams.England’s tactical kicking was much better than Scotland’s. It wasn’t great, but their chasers were also able to put more pressure on the receivers. It was a game Scotland could have and should have won, because they had the best of territory and possession, but were clueless on how to convert this into points, and Parks was largely to blame, but the rest of the team also were also clueless on how to beat the Poms. Just their no 8 looked like he had a clue.
Good call Dan…the right time to retire. Respect…67 caps for Scotland…no mean achievement. Hamba Kahle.
Evening All
@ 4man:
Good calls at the weekend 4man……Leading superBru I see.
@ Blue Bird:
Hello Cotswolds cowgirl….just luck….I get lucky a lot!….I see Carol is in the group, have you had a chat to her, haven’t seen her for yonks!!!
@ grootblousmile:
As had said here last night all the best to Dan, still got some time to play for Cardiff. Seen a bit of the game now and you’re right Gbs it wasn’t one he will look back at fondly. But just about the whole team has to take the blame for that loss, in particular the charge down kick wasn’t good but seemed like he got a loopy slow pass of the ball in the first place which would have given him less time on it, Hodgson also anticipated really well where the ball was going to go, in hindsight if Parks had more time he could have taken it the other way he had more space off his left foot, also thought the team was playing under annoying instructions to run the ball too much in their own 22, because earlier in the move a player received the ball in a far better position than Parks did and should have kicked it out from then. Agree on the kicking infield, guess they must have also been instructed to kick the ball in field, there was also a lot of this in Wales Ireland game on Saturday, with Grey and Hamilton there in the lineout we should have gone for touch more and put pressure on Englands lineout.
Scotland team for this weekends game against Wales has been anounced:
15 Rory Lamont 14 Lee Jones 13 Nick De Luca 12 Sean Lamont 11 Max Evans 10 Greig Laidlaw 9 Chris Cusiter
1 Allan Jacobsen 2 Ross Ford CAPTAIN 3 Geoff Cross 4 Richie Gray 5 Jim Hamilton 6 Alasdair Strokosch 7 Ross Rennie 8 David Denton
Substitutes
16 Scott Lawson 17 Ed Kalman 18 Alastair Kellock 19 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors) 20 Mike Blair 21 Duncan Weir 22 Stuart Hogg
Will be interesting to see how Laidlaw gets on as he’s been touted as the one who will get the backline going, great to see flyhalf Duncan Weir and fullback Stuart Hogg on the bench, if they keep on developing they could have a bright international future. GO SCOTLAND!
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