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Chris Cook 'very happy' to quit Premiership for Italian URC spell

(Photo via Zebre Parma)

Ex-Bath and Bristol scrum-half Chris Cook has signed a short-term deal taking him to Zebre Parma, the Italian-based United Rugby Championship side. The 30-year-old was picked up by Northampton last summer after his release from Ashton Gate, but the move to Saints didn’t work out as he didn’t make a single appearance and he will now see out the remainder of this season playing outside England. 

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“I am very happy for the opportunity I have been given. Zebre have embarked on a path of renewal, so it is perhaps the best time to join the squad, bringing my experience and putting myself at the service of the team,” said Cook following his unveiling in Italy.

“Italy is a fantastic country. I am happy to be in Parma and to live the cultural as well as sporting experience. I can’t wait to get involved and help the club grow. “

The former England age-grade half-back made his name during eleven seasons at Bath that also featured loan spells early in that long stint at Esher and London Welsh. When the pandemic shut down the 2019/20 Premiership season, Cook decided to swap Bath for Bristol.

However, while he made two league appearances when that suspended campaign resumed, he didn’t play at all during an injury-hit 2020/21. He then popped up at Northampton last July as injury cover only to suffer the same unused fate, Cook unable to break his way into the Saints side before he exited the club in late October.  

He has now resurfaced at Zebre, who are in a rebuilding phase following the decision earlier this month to move on from Michael Bradley, their long-serving coach, and try a different approach under Argentine Emiliano Bergamaschi due to an ongoing lack of wins in the URC. 

Cook has already arrived in Parma where his deal will last through to June 30 with the possibility of an extension. With 14 matches left in the season at Parma, the arrival of the scrum-half is seen as timely by the Italians as Alessandro Fusco has been called up for the Six Nations while Nicolo Casilio is injured. 

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AM 5 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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