The contradictions of modern rugby stand evident in the career of Dan Parks, the duality never better expressed than in the jealous mixture of pride and persecution with which Scottish crowds enveloped him.
In the age of the professional rugby player, his Australian upbringing gave him the mark of the mercenary in the Scottish team. A bloke not quite good enough to make it back home, but who through a technicality, could find international honours elsewhere.
His grandmother’s birth in Ayrshire offered the lucrative loophole to the northern hemisphere purse.
He was one of two Australians in the team for much of the past decade with Nathan Hines, the second row who was born on the Wagga Wagga fault line, where the rugbies and AFL collide.
The other Six Nations teams of this period each contained a handful of such expats, and even though many of them carried the conviction of the truest of converts, they were all tied, fairly or otherwise, to the lowest common denominator of cynical opportunism.
But to dismiss Parks in this way seems to dismiss something far greater from rugby. The ability to take your boots around the world and find a game for yourself.
In their own time great players like Mark Loane, Martin Johnson and Des Connor all did much the same, at various points in their career. At a much lower level the trade is in better health with many Australian club teams having hosted a Canadian, Pom or Kiwi at one time or another.
Though Parks is more visible because of his selection in a national team he is currently joined in his wanderings by Brock James, the Clermont Auvergne fly-half who also learnt his rugby in Sydney. James could have hung around the verge of Super Rugby selection back home but decided to enjoy the benefits of rugby and take his life to France where he has prospered.
Though rarely covered by the Australian press, James is highly regarded in the French and British press and is certainly no weak link among his many international team mates. Yet where would most pundits rank James among the leading Australian fly-halves of the last ten years?
I’d venture that as a pure No. 10 he is streets ahead of Matt Giteau, but then I am in the minority of Australians who have seen James play.
Perhaps both Parks and James are better adapted to the northern hemisphere game. If so, isn’t that a wonderful expression of the game’s ability to be played in varying styles around the world, and a great reason for more players to follow the game to where they best fit?
Parks also suffered the modern rugby player’s affliction of public misbehaviour when, in 2009, he was caught drink driving and lost both his license and his place in the Scotland team.
His response was dramatic. Working hard to regain his team’s faith, Parks won three man-of-the-match awards in the following year’s Six Nations competition; a Wally Lewis-like record for those who remember the King’s ability to win the same award come State of Origin.
If Parks ever needed evidence of his true intentions, it could be found in his 2010.
The other contradiction in Parks is one of style. Being Australian, a New South Welshman nonetheless, he might be expected to play the running game that the game’s modern entertainment focus demands. And it is entertainment that Scotland’s crowds so desperately need, having not seen tries scored by the home team on home soil with any regularity in recent years.
Instead he provides the other Australian style of play. What might be called John Connolly’s Queensland style, where a fly-half’s first job was to kick and to kick well. Think of the great pragmatists Michael Lynagh and Elton Flatley. For most of his career Parks did just this, and played to Scotland’s strengths of enthusiasm, belligerence, and fat blokes in the mud.
Sadly his kicking game led to a fatal charge-down last Saturday. It was to be the breaking point in his international career.
Scotland now need to embrace running rugby. They have in David Denton, Ross Rennie, Alasdair Strokosch and Alistair Kellock the type of heavy running and tackling forwards that can win their fair share of quick possession, but without a fly-half who can take advantage of this, Scotland will not progress far up the international ladder.
Parks, though he had limitations, was a player who seemed to relish the tide and tussle of the game, and his involvement in it. Watching him play, I always felt that he was a man aware of the value of the opportunities afforded him, and keen to demonstrate his appreciation for them.
Mercenary or Corinthian? Bad boy or prefect? Showman or grafter? Aussie or Scot?
His departure from the game leaves me valuing the contribution of self-made expats in international teams much more than I had previously. It also leaves me feeling that the derision often directed at those who follow opportunities overseas is more cut-and-paste thinking than sober, thoughtful analysis.
Sharminator
Roar Rookie
The reality is ... there is more money in Europe. Unless your are a top level Wallaby .. you can make a lot more money playing in Europe than in the Super 15 ... its the same as South American or African Football players .. obviously there is more money for them in Europe too. The lure for players to stay in Australia or New Zealand is the chance to play for the national team .. which you are not allowed to do if you decide to play in Europe. I think the comments about scandal and disaster are overstated. These players were players who, for whatever reason, were not performing or not selected to play Super Rugby Regularly .. so they decided to ply their trade somewhere else. Good on them for being successful somewhere else .... But I dont think that that means there is some fundamental problem in Australian or NZ rugby
Sharminator
Roar Rookie
Parisse is an interesting case ... his dad was Italian and played rugby for L´Aquila, he then moved to Argentina with Alitalia where Parisse was born.. Parisse grew up speaking Italian at home, and went on holiday to Italy every year. At 17, when he finished school Parisse moved to Italy, played in Italy Under 18´s .. and the next year debuted in the full Italian test side. Regarding Italy, the Italian side it is full or Argies. In the 1930´s and 40´s many Italians moved to Argentina ... meaning that the grandparents of many rugby players are Italian, so they can get Italian passports. In the last world cup, Argie born players for Italy were Sergio Parisse, Martin Castroiovani, Gonzalo Canale, Luciano Orquera, Pablo Canavosio, and Gonzalo Garcia. However, its a good example of where being able to play for another team "works", None of them ever played in Argentina youth rep teams ... and they all moved to Italy for the chance to play professional rugby, which dosnt exist in Argentina, They gained contracts and apart from Parisse, none played for Italy immediatley, they did their time, showed they were decent players .. and Argentina could have selected them but never did ... so when Italy offered them the chance .. they took it.
Sharminator
Roar Rookie
The only reason why the Tahs and Brumbies have an advantage is because the majority of top level Australian Rugby players come from Sydney or Brisbane! Consequently ... they tend to get first pick of young talent coming through .. because an 18 or 20 year old would prefer to keep living in their home that to move for the chance of super rugby in another state. But the advantage that the Brumbies initially had .. and that now the Force and Rebels have, is that they get left picking the "next best" players ... younger players with potential, or mature players looking for a chance, somo of whom end up being superstars. The first brumbies team was characterised as being a team of NSW and Qld rejects .. and after a few years they won the Super 12.
Sharminator
Roar Rookie
Makes you wonder why Tasmanian rugby hasnt ever got anywhere ... if Ben Franks, Derren Witcombre and Collins were all born in Tassie ... !!!
Bakkies
Guest
I believe Castrogiavanni was born in Argentina too.
Johnno
Guest
Colin N , good points you make. It is a lot deeper than say just using buzz words like poaching to grab peoples attention. The stuff you talk about goes more intuit he heart of the issue, junior and senior player development. I think the IRB should have a conference with all the top maybe 40 rugby nations and work out player development ways so as to insure as many as possible stay loyal to country of birth unless they have lived significant part of childhood in another country. Coz south africa a power house should not have there depth tested as much as this. The bulls this year will be in the super 15 decimated by quality springbok players leaving overseas as just one example.
Colin N
Guest
"But south africa it seems as others have said seems to now be a place where serious poaching is going on in cricket and rugby." I don't think it's about poaching. I was speaking to a South African rugby player plying his trade in England before Christmas and he said that the coaches don't invest as much in the players as they do in England, simply because of the depth of quality in the country, which means that late developers are discarded and inevitably lost to other places, such as Hendre Fourie and Mouritz Botha. For example, Fourie came over as a 25-year-old, playing for Championship side Rotherham, and his rate of progress has been staggering since. It's just a shame that it wasn't spotted earlier as he would have had a longer test career.
mattamkII
Guest
Actually Ben was born in Tasmania. But yes, your point is valid. Move when he was 2 or 3. Much like Lote. Pocock and Quade both moved to Australian young enough to play schoolboys. Although Quade only just.
google
Guest
Australian rugby has lost so many players to Europe and Rugby league it is amazing. Basically on the cream of the crop who are destined for wallabies saty in OZ and hence the success BUT it also diminishes depth. The same scenario applies to Argentina, they have no proffesional dometic league because all of their players are in europe (sergio Parisse is an Argentine national who moved to Italy when he was signed by Parma at 19)
Bakkies
Guest
They haven't been competitive enough overall to warrant more teams
mitchwally
Roar Rookie
Still remember Dan Parks putting 40 points on Randwick playing for Southern Districts in either 2001 or 2002, and then winning a Shute Shield for Easts in '03. Also have great memories of Chris Malone at Sydney Uni at the same time- it's a shame we only had 3 Super Rugby teams back then otherwise these guys may have had a crack at the higher level here rather than in Europe!
jeznez
Guest
Well done Parksy, you are a legend mate. To everyone worrying that the guy was driven offshore - it is worth noting that his nickname in Sydney club rugby was Compass given he played for Wests, Norths, Easts and Southern Districts through the course of his career. (I have to admit I don't recall the Norths days but I do recall the other three well.)
jeznez
Guest
That is the Kolpak ruling in action. Pacific Islanders and South Africans qualify under this ruling against restriction of trade. Doesn't apply to Aussies or Kiwis so you'll note that Willie Mason and Sonny Bill Williams both applied for an islander passport before they went north, Mehrtens applied for a South African passport when he went looking. It isn't the only way to be able to play in these leagues but quota issues hit the clubs if they look to employ players who are not African or Pacific Islanders.
Johnno
Guest
South Auckland has to be addressed, and more help and development.
IronAwe
Guest
So true. The biggest problem living in Sydney is having to watch the Waratahs play. It wasn't always this way. Maybe now that Waugh is gone things will change. He was a good leader but a poor captain.
peterlala
Guest
Great column, Garth Hamilton. Glad to hear Brock James is doing well in France. I always wondered why his name was never mentioned in relation to the Wallabies.
SAMURAI
Roar Pro
Completely agree with you, each of the Tri-Nations should form a domestic league (ITM Cup and Currie Cup teams already exist), Australia could form a eight club competition with maybe one club each from Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. It would provide more opportunities to local players who otherwise wouldn't get a chance at pro rugby, furthermore each club could be allowed 3-5 foreign players (A few from PI nations and Asia, the remainder from Argentina/Americas)
Tissot Time
Guest
Johnno I do not agree with your use of the word "poach" and agree with Brett that players "go where you think you have the greatest chance of success". It is the players that make the decision where they play. Contrastingly you only need to look at the country of birth of many of the players that played for Samoa at last years RWC to see the reversal of the Pacific Island diaspora.
kovana
Roar Pro
as stated. If NZ and Saffas used their NPC and CC teams instead in a SR HC style tournament.. That alone would mean 14 Pro teams for each of them. 28 in total. And If Australia can at least get 8 within the next 15 - 20 years. Voila. 34 pro RUGBY teams in the SH alone. Europe has from my estimates. England - 24 France - 30 Ireland - 4 Wales - 4 Scotland - 2 Italy - 2 Total = 66.
SAMURAI
Roar Pro
Having lived in AFL-obssessd Adelaide, I can confidently say that rugby is far more popular than league (Cant see league building a presence here, too small population and already we have soccer and two AFL teams) and there are some outstanding players in this state, they just don't get the exposure compared to guys in QLD and NSW. Brock James started his rugby in Adelaide, Brumbies prop Yanuyanutawa also played in SA, and most recently UJ Seuteni has played all his rugby in Adelaide. Definitely more professional teams in the country will prevent talented youngsters from leaving for overseas, IMO rugby players tend to develop lately compared to soccer and AFL, and so the players who leave (Eg Brock James) might actually become great players in the long-term despite not blitzing when they were younger.