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'You almost sound bitter': Pari Pari Parkinson on injuries and All Blacks

(Photo by Teaukura Moetaua/Getty Images)

Pari Pari Parkinson is hoping to be back in action sooner than expected after suffering a major injury in the late stages of this year’s NPC.

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The Highlanders and Tasman lock copped some friendly fire in the final round of the regular season, with flanker Anton Segner colliding with Parkinson’s leg in a tackle and leaving the towering second-rower in serious discomfort on the floor.

“Anton swung round the tackle on Pete [Umaga-Jensen] and when he hit my knee, I felt everything crunch and I looked down and I could see my leg sticking out from underneath his body and though ‘Na, that’s no good’,” Parkinson told former Highlanders utility back James Marshall on the latest episode of his What A Lad podcast.

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The panel of Ross Karl, Bryn Hall and James Parsons run their eyes over all the developments from the past week of rugby.

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The panel of Ross Karl, Bryn Hall and James Parsons run their eyes over all the developments from the past week of rugby.

“I was trying to tell doc but all that came out was [noises]. Nothing you could do anything with.”

Almost immediately, Parkinson knew he wasn’t likely to be back on the park anytime soon, with the lumbering 25-year-old unable to walk off the field without support.

“I tried to put my weight on [some support staff] to walk off, because I knew everything was gone [after] I saw my foot out on an angle. The doc and stuff were just like ‘Mate, you can’t put your body weight on us, we can’t carry you.’

“After I got up, I didn’t want to lie back down [and ask for the stretcher] … Too much pride, can’t let my ego be damaged.”

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Once off the field and into the hospital, the diagnosis was grim.

“All the ligaments [were damaged], the ACL, PCL, MCL, damaged the meniscus,” said Parkinson. “[The doctor] ran me through all that. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t doing much listening, I was kind of like ‘I know it’s bad, I know you can fix it, I’ve got faith in you, you do your thing’.

“Went into day surgery and then woke up and it was all new. I was still on morphine though so I started being a hero … I thought I was the man walking around on my leg right after my surgery and the nurses were like ‘No, don’t do that, get back in the bed, you clown’.”

While the initial prognosis was grim, Parkinson is hopeful that he can’t fast-track his way back onto the pitch in time for next year’s NPC season, which will likely kick off around September.

“[The surgeon] told me about 12 months and I was like ‘There’s no chance, I’m not doing that, I’m not taking 12 months, that’s just silly’. I’m hoping nine; hopefully, I’ll be back for next Tassie season, fingers crossed.”

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The multi-ligament rupture is the latest in a long line of serious injuries that Parkinson has endured in his professional career to date, with a serious foot injury keeping him out of much of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Many have touted the 2.04m, 130kg lock as a future All Black but the ongoing injuries have thwarted Parkinson’s chances and putting together a long run of matches in order to impress the selectors.

Parkinson revealed that although he’s had minimal communication from the All Blacks, he was told this year to prepare in case he was called in for the end-of-year tour late in the season.

“There wasn’t really any comms. They told me to get vaccinated, just in case. I don’t know how close, they were more just like ‘There’s a chance’. Probably just did it [to get me vaccinated]. Other than that, there wasn’t much comms and I didn’t expect there would be because I haven’t had comms previously.

“It’s a weird topic to talk about because you almost sound bitter when you address it. It’s always been my mindset since I was about 16: unless it’s right in front of you, don’t worry about it. Because I can’t control what the selectors do, to pick me, so it’s like why worry about a team I’m not in? That’s sort of the way I go about it … It’s not something that’s on my plate at the moment.”

While Parkinson’s latest injury is another setback, he’s confident he can get himself back into top shape next year.

“I’ve done this before, a long rehab process, and I learnt from the last one so I can take those learnings into this one,” he said. “Granted, this is probably a bit more serious of an injury but at least now I know what the do’s and don’ts are.’

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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