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'I went for Westlife's If I Let You Go': How Sam Parry celebrated first Wales cap

By PA
(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Sam Parry readily admits he thought the prospect of playing for Wales had probably passed him by. But the 28-year-old Ospreys hooker could be closing in on a Test starting place after impressing as a second-half substitute when Wales lost to France behind closed doors in Paris last Saturday.

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With Ken Owens a long-term injury absentee and World Cup squad member Elliot Dee having dropped down the pecking order, Saturday’s selection to face Guinness Six Nations opponents Scotland appears a straight fight between Parry and Ryan Elias.

Parry’s Test debut at Stade de France was among the brighter moments for Wales as they slipped to a 38-21 defeat, and he is determined to build on that experience. “It didn’t matter if there were 80,000 there or no one, it would still have been the same feeling. I’m really happy,” Parry said.

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“To be fair, I probably let playing for Wales go and looked forward to playing for the Ospreys and putting everything into that. Luckily, I got my chance and hopefully I can build on that.

“It was about just enjoying the moment. I probably thought this had passed me by, but to get named in the squad was good. You do the training and you hope to get selected. Then I got named on the bench, so I was really excited about that.

“Then it was just about enjoying the build-up during the week. After that, on game-day, it’s about being ready when you get the call to go on. When you get one cap and experience that feeling, you want as many as possible, to be honest.”

Although there was no crowd due to restrictions because of the coronavirus pandemic – including no travelling family members – Parry and fellow Wales debutant Louis Rees-Zammit still enjoyed a cap presentation to remember, including singing a song in front of the squad.

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“Gethin (Jenkins, the ex-Wales prop and current national squad technical coach) presented my cap for me. It was a special moment,” Parry added. “He is obviously a Welsh legend – we all know how good a player he was – and it was special to receive it from him.

“Luckily, the (Wales) media team sorted a Zoom call with my family, and they were able to see into the changing rooms and watch the presentation and watch me sing my song. I went for Westlife’s ‘If I Let You Go’.

“It’s a hell of a stadium. I had never been there before, but I always wanted to go, and it was awesome to experience it. It would have been better with a full crowd, but it wasn’t really about that, it was more taking the field and finally getting to play for Wales.”

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Hellhound 47 minutes ago
Scotland's Gregor Townsend confirms Tom Jordan Glasgow exit

NZ lost a great player there. Played brilliantly for Glasgow and against SA was the best player on the pitch. Caused the Boks some headaches. Slot him into the current AB's team, and they would be very dangerous, especially broken play.


However, the Scots isn't stupid and their recruiting from the SH countries is starting to pay off. They don't have the player pool the SH countries have, nor that of their neighbours even.


I applaud them for being so open-minded as giving those players who have loyally played their rugby in Scotland for years a chance. SA for one have such a vast pool of players that's so talented and could be world class given the smallest chance, but will never get a look in because there is just so many stars in the country.


I don't mind that Saffas play for other countries to further their own careers. Besides, it makes Scotland better and makes for one more team to step up to the big stage and make rugby more exciting than just the top 4 that usually wins.


Scotland may have lost by 17 against a rusty Bok "B" team, but that score is not a true indication of that match. The Scottish biggest mistakes was kicking at goal the entire time, instead of going for the jugular. If they tried to go for tries, they may have been stopped and the score might have been bigger, but the game was on such a knife edge, that if they did go for it, they might have scored a couple of tries or more and we very well might have seen a Scottish upset.


It was by no means a bad effort at all. Tom Jordan is one of their best new talents coming through. He should've stayed with Glasgow. What a loss for the URC Champs. Going to Loftus and getting one over the Bulls is something that not even the so called best team in club rugby could do. Leinster keeps losing at Loftus. For Glasgow to do that in a Final was phenomenal and Tom Jordan was no small part of that feat.


Rugby is truely becoming a global sport now, where the eligibility rules is making rugby a much smaller world, but a much bigger global game. The Scots is most likely the team with the most aliens in their team. They welcome players with open arms. I applaud that. They are a sleeping giant, and if they continue playing like they did against the Boks, despite the results, they will become a real threat for 2027.


I admired how they played. They impressed everyone. I say good on them. Results will come if they continue on their upward trajectory. I wish them and Tom Jordan all the luck they deserve.

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