Dan Parks to Perth?

[Moses]

The Force need a 10, Dan Parks is available and rumours are circulating.

Having played for Scotland he's no longer eligible for the Wallabies so under current ARU rules would need to be in a marquee player slot, however the Force have already filled this position with Napolioni Nalaga.

We asked Richard Graham on his twitter feed and he confirmed as much

Dan Parks would be a 'Marquee' hence ineligible for us as we have Naps.

@hughcavill you know your stuff mate. Parks won't qualify for the Force under ARU policy @andrewmosey @mattrowley_

If it does come to pass then it'll be achieving the opposite of what the laws intended - having a well travelled former Waratah International flyhalf returning home to play out his career in Australia would be great for the young blokes coming through.

I'm wondering if this is even legal? Surely the ARU telling Parks he's not allowed to ply his trade in his country of birth is a restriction of trade...

 

[fatprop]

The ARU has the option of seeing a side really struggle or have a chance of doing OK if they bend the rules

I don't see why they wouldn't allow two Marquees for them.

Seeing them uncompetitive screws the Super 15 brand in an important market

 

[Rob42]

I'm wondering if this is even legal? Surely the ARU telling Parks he's not allowed to ply his trade in his country of birth is a restriction of trade...

Professional sport is thick with restraints of trade - drafts and salary caps, etc. But structured in such a way as to keep them out of court.

 

[SuperGrover]

Is he even available?

I know he's 'retired' from Scotland duty with immediate effect, but surely he still has the rest of his contract with the Cardiff Blues to see out.

 

[qwerty51]

Dan Parks would be the worst thing to happen to the Force, why would they even consider it?

As the poster above says he still plays for Cardiff Blues, this is a ridiculous suggestion.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

Agreed. I understand that there were reasons years ago why he didn't get signed by the Waratahs when he was breaking all those point scoring records. No doubt he can play, but i would also agree it might not be a good investment.

 

[Lee Grant]

Agreed. I understand that there were reasons years ago why he didn't get signed by the Waratahs when he was breaking all those point scoring records. No doubt he can play, but i would also agree it might not be a good investment.

He wasn't good enough then. He, like Brock James of Clermont, was the type of flyhalf who blossomed in the kind of rugby they play over there: a slower game born of slower field and weather conditions. Daniel Halangahu is another who would thrive over there and maybe Matt To'omua as well. Berrick Barnes would be be a star. They all have that game.

But, as others have indicated: we'd be talking about 2013 not 2012 because if he is off contract this year he would not be available until June, maybe May at the earliest. He is too old to adjust his play to Super Rugby anyway IMO, and would be a long shot this year, let alone next.

I hope "Compass" Parks comes back to play in the Shute Shield for Norths having played already for Souths, Easts and Wests. He'd give them direction.
.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

Yeah i think he would have been good enough, maybe not for an extended period of time. I saw him get the wood on the likes of Nathan Grey and Duncan McCrae who ended up playing 10 at the time. There may have been other factors involved. Still managed to play International Rugby for a long period whilst the rest of us talk about it on internet forums.

 

[mark_s]

I would love to see Parks play for the force this year, even if its for the back end of the season. Bend the rules if required and let him play.

 

[Bowside]

I'd rather they take a punt on a few young blokes from the club comps. Maybe even a league player.

 

[Moses]

I would love to see Parks play for the force this year, even if its for the back end of the season. Bend the rules if required and let him play.

The marquee player rules are another example of what Jake White recently described as the uneven playing field whereby Australian teams have to comply with arbitrary limitations not imposed on their competitors.

Here we have an Australian who can't play for an Australian team because he isn't Australian enough. I think that is shit.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

As a Force Fan i would love to see someone like Parkes on the feild. One because i think his method of play would compliment the force and 2 there is not substite for experiance and this guy has loads of it. He would be great for the young guys like chucky and Goodwin. If only the ARU would pull its head out of its own... and stop telling everyone to be like the Reds but hey that wont stop anytime soon...If only JON had got that job upnorth!

 

[Lindommer]

Here we have an Australian who can't play for an Australian team because he isn't Australian enough.

Same goes for Michael Lipman. If Oz Super Rugby teams want to sign blokes like Parks or Lipman, let them.


PS. Can't we do something about finding Parks an Australian grandmother somewhere? LG, you must know a few old birds about the right vintage who could do the decent thing, give 'em the Force's phone number.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Same goes for Michael Lipman. If Oz Super Rugby teams want to sign blokes like Parks or Lipman, let them.


PS. Can't we do something about finding Parks an Australian grandmother somewhere? LG, you must know a few old birds about the right vintage who could do the decent thing, give 'em the Force's phone number.

The issue is not that we need to find him links to get an australian passport he already has one (you would assume he didnt hand it in) but that he had been a capped player for another counrty other than Aus so he must be a marquee which all teams only get 1.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

The marquee player rules are another example of what Jake White recently described as the uneven playing field whereby Australian teams have to comply with arbitrary limitations not imposed on their competitors.

Here we have an Australian who can't play for an Australian team because he isn't Australian enough. I think that is shit.

Why? He chose that path and became a Scot and played for Scotland.

 

[Moses]

Why? He chose that path and became a Scot and played for Scotland.

I worked in England for 2 years, doesn't make me a Pom.

And when he made that choice there was no rule about marquee players in Super Rugby. Do you see more value in successful Australians returning home to pass on the lessons they learnt in a career of European rugby, or should we choose to make our team less competitive by imposing arbitrary restrictions that none of our competitors do?

 

[cyclopath]

I'm sure someone at the ARU is doing a major facepalm at the discovery of this (unintended??) loophole.
But it is the ARU, so maybe not.
It does seem to be an incredibly stupid situation for Australian Rugby, in light of our well publicised issues with depth.

 

[Lee Grant]

Let's not forget that we are talking about 2013, not 2012, and he turns 34 in May 2012.

 

[Slash]

I worked in England for 2 years, doesn't make me a Pom.

And when he made that choice there was no rule about marquee players in Super Rugby. Do you see more value in successful Australians returning home to pass on the lessons they learnt in a career of European rugby, or should we choose to make our team less competitive by imposing arbitrary restrictions that none of our competitors do?

Technically there was, the rule at the time was that if you want to play Super Rugby you MUST declare you were willing to only be eligible for Australia. You also had to be playing in australia to play for australia. This last rule is still the case. Parks made the decision (and it was the correct one) that he would go overseas chasing the euro and qualified for scotland due to a scottish born grandmother. He made those decisions himself.

I for one would be totally against the ARU 'bending' the rules for the Force. They do it for the Force, they have to do it for everyone else.

The word around the campfire is that they're gonna persist with Seymour initially..............and they're still talking to Harvey......may as well have two 10's who can't defend I guess

 

[Jnor]

I'm sure someone at the ARU is doing a major facepalm at the discovery of this (unintended??) loophole.
But it is the ARU, so maybe not.
It does seem to be an incredibly stupid situation for Australian Rugby, in light of our well publicised issues with depth.

Surely this is a reverse loophole - a noose, perhaps?