HADLEIGH PARKES WILL become the latest New Zealander to play for Wales after he was named at centre for the one-of Test match against South Africa on Saturday.
Parkes has shone for Scarlets since signing for the Welsh region and qualifies for Wales after serving the three-year residency rule, which handily comes up on Saturday.
The 30-year-old benefits from the absence of Owen Williams and Jamie Roberts, who have both returned to their English clubs as the fixture falls outside the international window.
Wales coach Warren Gatland, himself a New Zealander, has made four other changes to the team that lost 33-18 to world champions New Zealand last week.
Aside from Parkes, Aled Davies takes over at scrum-half in the other change in the back-line.
Parkes will partner regional teammate Scott Williams in midfield, with Davies lining up alongside Dan Biggar at half-back.
Leigh Halfpenny, Steff Evans and Hallam Amos feature in an unchanged back-three.
There are three changes in the pack with Kristian Dacey and Scott Andrews coming into the front row alongside Rob Evans. Second row Cory Hill packs down alongside captain Alun Wyn Jones and it is an unchanged back row of Aaron Shingler, Josh Navidi and Taulupe Faletau.
Faletau’s selection will be sure to raise the ire of the English Premiership.
The No 8 is understood to have a contract with his English club Bath that sees him available for Tests, but the club will now likely be hit with a fine for releasing him.
“Saturday is an opportunity to continue to build on what we have done so far and round off the autumn campaign with a big performance,” said Gatland, whose team opened their autumn campaign with a 29-21 defeat by Australia and went on to record a scrappy 13-6 win over Georgia.
“We have spoken about exposing the squad to Test match rugby and this weekend is a great opportunity for Hadleigh to earn his first cap and for Aled to make his first start of the campaign.
“We have had a couple of knocks from last weekend, with Ken Owens, Leon Brown and Jake Ball unavailable but that just provides an opportunity for Kristian, Scott and Cory to start.”
Elliot Dee, Wyn Jones and Rhodri Jones provide the front row cover. Seb Davies and Dan Lydiate complete the forward contingent. Rhys Webb, Rhys Patchell and Owen Watkin are the backline replacements.
Wales:
15. Leigh Halfpenny
14. Hallam Amos
13. Scott Williams
12. Hadleigh Parkes
11. Steff Evans
10. Dan Biggar
9. Aled Davies
8. Taulupe Faletau
7. Josh Navidi
6. Aaron Shingler
5. Alun Wyn Jones (capt)
4. Cory Hill
3. Scott Andrews
2. Kristian Dacey
1. Rob Evans
Replacements:
16. Elliot Dee
17. Wyn Jones
18. Rhodri Jones
19. Seb Davies
20. Dan Lydiate
21. Rhys Webb
22. Rhys Patchell
23. Owen Watkin.
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):
The “Bring Ronaldo Home” campaign is a scam set up to defraud naive football fans (morons) and The Score should not be publicising it, at least without doing some research. Every Utd fan I’ve seen on twitter are up in arms about it. It was registered as a limited company in the past fortnight and pledges to “honor PayPal refund rules” if Ronaldo doesn’t get signed. It should be noted that said PayPal refund policy expires after 60 days. Also while receiving £10 per pledge, they say they will only refund £7 of it (not that it will matter).
Sid Lowe, journalist quoted this morning “That Ronaldo Home campaign is utter batshit on every level scam/parody/ripoff”
Hi Conal,
In no way are we ‘promoting’ the Bring Ronaldo Home campaign, no more than we are promoting Adidas by highlighting the awfulness of their new Marseille jersey in this piece (http://thescore.thejournal.ie/new-marseille-jersey-909414-May2013/)
We posted the video because any attempt to get Ronaldo back to Manchester United is news.
Steven,
I think your missing his point this is not an attempt to bring Ronaldo back to Manchester United but a scam preying on gullible fans. What he takes issue with would appear to be that you are reporting this as a legitimate attempt to raise money to bring Ronaldo back to United which can be construed as being irresponsible if in fact this is a scam.
Scam potential here.
I threw a few quid into the campaign run for the defence of Paul Kimmage.
Subsequent events not Kimmage’s fault obviously, but an eye opener for anybody putting a hand in their pocket for a crowdfund.
Nuff said.
I’m sure Ronaldo is just dying to trade in Sunny Madrid for Rainy Manchester.
Sad B%#$!#%S……
What’s next? Fans trying to raise the money to buy their club back from evil American owners?…oh wait…
The evil Glazers who financed 5 league titles, 2 league cups and a European cup. Not to mention 2 more European cup finals.
Im not anti-Glazer by any stretch of the imagination but I wouldn’t go giving them too much credit for “financing” the success since they have taken over the club. It is all club generated money that goes in to the club and the Glazers pump sweet f all of their own money in to the club.
They have done a lot to increase revenues (rising ticket prices, greatly increased sponsorship etc…) but they have also placed the club in a lot of debt at a great expense to the club. You can say what you like but they hardly “finance” the success.
All that said as long as they continue to leave the management of the club to those who know how to manage it and don’t begin to bleed the club of any money I think their ownership can at least be tolerated!
Don’t bother Big Pat most people don’t recognize how good the Glazers have been. Spent plenty of money on players keeping the club hugely successful and have made the club into a profit making machine.
As a United fan…what a ridiculous plan! How much will he make for the club? €1,000,000,000???? Not a chance will he! I would sooner give a small donation to a charity than to this…Out of interest, I would wonder what happens to all the money when they don’t raise the total amount!
The club has a backroom team in place for this sort of thing, it should be left to them to decide what players come and go!
So ronaldo says he wants to leave forces his transfer and united want him back? So what’s all the fuss about wanting Rooney out?