Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Hadleigh Parkes hoping to cap off an exciting month with a World Cup winner's medal

Hadleigh Parkes dots down for Wales against Australia during the 2019 RWC. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Hadleigh Parkes and his wife Suzy are set to become proud parents next month – and the Webb Ellis Cup would be a perfect gift for their new arrival.

ADVERTISEMENT

Suzy is due to give birth around November 18, just over two weeks after the World Cup final.

And with Wales two wins away from securing a place in that showpiece occasion, it could prove a fantastic fortnight for New Zealand-born Parkes and his family.

“We are both very excited,” Wales centre Parkes said. “She is going well. We are very lucky with the support base we have in Cardiff and around Wales.

“The baby is due around November 18, and they say with your first one it’s normally a bit late, but you never know.”

Video Spacer

And asked about the possibility of a World Cup welcome present, he added: “That would be nice!”

Since qualifying for Wales on residency and making a Test debut in December 2017, Parkes has proved a midfield model of consistency.

He has played in 22 of Wales’ last 26 games and been on the losing side just four times.

ADVERTISEMENT

Parkes, 32, only arrived in Wales five years ago, joining the Scarlets and quickly carving out a strong reputation.

“You do have to pinch yourself a little bit,” he said. “It has been an amazing few years. To be here, playing in a World Cup quarter-final against France, it’s exciting and a massive privilege.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3wS6blgq45/

“It has been superb. With how it came about five years ago I would certainly never have dreamt that this would be on the cards, but it has worked out pretty well.

“There were two options on the table – Bayonne for six months and maybe a little bit longer, or a two-a half-year gig in west Wales.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Suzy had just qualified as a chartered accountant, so it was a bit tough to ask her to go to a French-speaking country where she probably wouldn’t be able to work.

“For both of us it was probably a better move to go somewhere where she could work as well and get experience. She has loved that side of it.

“Wayne Pivac (Wales’ new head coach after the World Cup) was my Auckland ITM Cup coach, and then he got the job at the Scarlets.

“He was going in initially as a forwards coach, but then Simon Easterby went to Ireland and Wayne got the head coach job.

“He had been in touch a couple of times before he left, and then it came through that there was a gig there and would I be keen? It was a great opportunity for both Suzy and myself to go.”

Parkes never looked back, establishing a high-class centre combination with Jonathan Davies and becoming an integral part of Wales boss Warren Gatland’s plans.

“When I turned up to the Scarlets five years ago we struggled to make the (league) play-offs, then two years later we managed to win it, then the following year we made the PRO14 final and the semi-finals of Europe,” he added.

“And being able to play for Wales in the last two years has been amazing. The (winning) run we went on, the Six Nations, the Grand Slam, the tour to Argentina and America.

“I’ve had some amazing experiences, and it has been a dream.”

Parkes, though, knows the danger that France will present in Oita on Sunday.

“Everyone knows what’s on the line this weekend,” he said. “We either fly to Tokyo or we are flying back to Wales on Monday.

“We hugely respect them, they are a good side and it’s always a tough game.

“Now, it’s knockout footy, and if we don’t show up on Sunday we are packing our bags and going home. The boys are relaxed, but deep down we are chomping at the bit to get into it.”

– PA

Shane Williams sat down with RugbyPass ahead of Wales’ quarterfinal clash with France:

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

M
MA 3 hours ago
How the four-team format will help the Wallabies defeat the Lions

In regards to Mack Hansen, Tuipoloto and others who talent wasnt 'seen'..

If we look at acting, soccer and cricket as examples, Hugh Jackman, the Heminsworths in acting; Keith Urban in Nashville, Mike Hussey and various cricketers who played in UK and made the Australian team; and many soccer players playing overseas.


My opinion is that perhaps the ' 'potential' or latent talent is there, but it's just below the surface.


ANd that decision, as made by Tane Edmed, Noah, Will Skelton to go overseas is the catalyst to activate the latent and bring it to the surface.


Based on my personal experience of leaving Oz and spending 14 months o/s, I was fully away from home and all usual support systems and past memories that reminded me of the past.


Ooverseas, they weren't there. I had t o survive, I could invent myself as who I wanted, and there was no one to blame but me.


It bought me alive, focused my efforts towards what I wanted and people largely accepted me for who I was and how I turned up.


So my suggestion is to make overseas scholarships for younger players and older too so they can benefit from the value offered by overseas coaching acumen, established systems, higher intensity competition which like the pressure that turns coal into diamonds, can produce more Skeltons, Arnold's, Kellaways and the like.


After the Lion's tour say, create 20 x $10,000 scholarships for players to travel and play overseas.


Set up a HECS style arrangement if necessary to recycle these funds ongoingly.


Ooverseas travel, like parenthood or difficult life situations brings out people's physical and emotional strengths in my own experiences, let's use it in rugby.

68 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Racing 92 confirm the immediate effect exit of Camille Chat Racing 92 confirm the immediate effect exit of Camille Chat
Search