Headley Parkes’ new life as Welsh players tells him about his move to Japan

Many rugby fans west of the River Severn would probably pick two moments if asked to recall their favorite Hadley Parkes exploits in the Wales shirt.

One could be the try he scored to start the 25-7 win over Ireland, who won the 2019 Six Nations Grand Slam. Another could be Jacob Stockdale’s tackle minutes later, which saw then-Scarlet turn and tackle the ward. Pacey Ireland, who had recorded 9.97 meters per second shortly before, in the air. It was early in the match, but the kick saved a try that could have changed the game.

Had Parkes not donned his superhero cape at the time, he believes then-Wales defense chief Shaun Edwards would not have been a happy man. “I was thinking, ‘Jess, Sean is probably going to come out of his box and rip our heads off,’” Jonathan Davies is quoted in Behind the Dragons: Playing Rugby for Wales. “I was convinced it was [Stockdale] I was going to score and then Parksy came out of nowhere like a Roadrunner or something.”

But there was always more to Parks than his on-field efforts.

The mind turns to the Doomsday game between the Scarlets and the Dragons at Principality Stadium. After a tense first half, the players rushed to the locker room to rest and the fans tried to touch them. Many weapons were scattered, but most players just continued their trips to the granaries, perhaps wanting to stay in the area, in modern parlance. Some adopted fixed views. Parks went a step further, reaching out to those who wanted to touch him. At one point, he almost leaned over to where some fans were sitting. It was only an easy two seconds to miss, but it made a fan’s day.

Today he’s on a Zoom call from Japan, where he plays in Rugby League One for Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo. Expats Greig Laidlaw and Joe Launchbury are also in touch, the trio seem relaxed and enjoying life. This marks Parks’ third season in the East after two undefeated seasons with the title-winning Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights.

He, his wife Susie and their daughter Ruby are moving east in 2020. They have no regrets. “As a young family, we really enjoyed it,” he says.

“It was an amazing experience and I’m still enjoying it.

“My love for the game remains and I still enjoy running and going to practices.

“This is my third season. The game is popular here due to the large crowds that watch matches and the skill level is quite remarkable with many fast players who like to download and play fast-paced games.

“There are big boys here too.

“So it’s a very good league. Some teams are at the top, but every other team and their company wants to raise the bar to reach that level.”

There are other advantages: “Although it was minus two degrees and quite cold in Tokyo this morning, the sun is still shining. If you do minus two in Wales, it might rain a little. It is very cold in winter, but you have good sunny days. You might not feel your toes, but it’s still a lot better than running in the rain all the time.”

But he enjoyed his time in Wales, he enjoyed his time at the Scarlets and he enjoyed wearing the national team red shirt. He previously told WalesOnline: “I’ve loved every moment of it, whether it’s the hard training, the World Cup build-up or the game itself. It was something I never thought would happen and I loved every moment of it and I’m proud I did it. So support is greatly appreciated.”

Who will win Wales v Ireland? Cast your vote now

He won 25 of 29 games under Warren Gatland, who once described him as the “glue” of the national team’s defence.

How Parkes sees Gatland returning to his old job after Wayne Pivac’s departure.

“He was very successful in the 12 years he was there last time,” he says, “and he definitely knows how to get the best out of players. He is a good talker and a good lead player.

“I feel sorry for Pivats too, because I got along well with him, but unfortunately sometimes this is a pretty brutal business.

“But look, it’s very exciting for Gates to be back there. He made some changes in the coaching staff and put together an interesting team with some new guys. It will be a thrilling Six Nations battle with the Gats back and Ireland will be the first to win in the Principality. It’s probably a good time to get them. So who knows?

Was there anything that set Gatland apart from the other coaches Parkes has played under? “He’s a real family man,” he says.

“If you ever went to him for anything, really, he was always willing [listen] and he was always very kind to the players. Sometimes that’s a way to get the best out of the players and the team.”

Parkes followed the fortunes of Welsh rugby from afar. The national team’s woes over the last 12 months have been well documented, with just three wins from 12 matches and poor results, including demoralizing home defeats to Italy and Georgia.

Gatland are no miracle workers but since their return to Welsh rugby was announced there has been a marked improvement in some areas. Is it possible to filter the effect down to the test level?

“He knows a lot of the players he’s drafted,” says Parks. “He trained a lot with the Welsh veterans and the British and Irish Lions, although he brought out the best of Wales at times. He’s had three Grand Slams and one more title in his 12 years as head coach, so he’s been pretty successful and he likes the Six Nations.

“And Welsh players love the Six Nations. It will be a tall order as Ireland are a very good team and are playing very well, but if Wales can get off to a good start then that will certainly set them up for the rest of the tournament. Let’s cross our fingers that they can do that.”

Let’s go back to Japan and its attractions, especially for rugby players in Great Britain, where for some money, as Simply Red would say, it’s hard to even remember. Could the financial situation tempt you to look more to Japan? “I get a few messages from some of the guys who play there,” says Parks.

“You saw what happened in England with two clubs [Wasps and Worcester Warriors] and in Wales there are also issues with what is happening there while negotiations between the clubs and the WRU are still pending.

“It’s going to be an interesting couple of years there. Several messages are going through. But when the time comes, I don’t know if guys will want to move to another culture and another area.

“I really like it. The other two guys on the call are really enjoying it. I’m sure if people had the opportunity, they would too.”

When asked if players have expressed an interest in moving to Japan, he said, “Yes, there have been some. I think players are more intrigued and interested in the way they race here, the lifestyle, the cultural differences and the shorter season.

“There is a lot of interest, particularly in what is happening in Wales at the time of the talks and it looks like clubs are cutting squads.

“But again, until something comes along, I think it’s if you’re willing to move to the other side of the world. And for those players who played for Wales, if you don’t have 60 caps then you can’t play for Wales.

“Then you have important decisions to make.”

Parkes is confident Wales’ senior statesmen such as Ken Owens and Alan Wyn Jones will have no trouble making it to the World Cup in France in the autumn.

“Why not?” he says. “Ken had a really good fall season. From what I’ve read, Alun Wyn also seems to have played exceptionally well in recent Ospreys games.

“These lads have their hearts on their sleeves and are great Welsh lads who have played their whole career for Wales. It is a great honor for them to represent Wales. They communicate well as a team and have played not only for Wales but also for the British and Irish Lions. If they keep playing well, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t go to the World Cup.”

Once asked which of his Scarlets teammates it would be, if possible, Rhys Patchell said: “It would be a tie between John Barclay and Hadley Parkes.

“They just did it.

“I look at them and these guys never look stressed. They know when to turn on and when to turn off.

“As I understand it, they did.”

Not much has changed for Parks.

Whether it’s Hunterville, Llanelli or Tokyo, one suspects you’d still want to check it out.

• WRU’s main sponsors speak out, telling rugby bosses to act on accusations of ‘toxic’ culture

• Mark Drakeford urges the WRU to publicly acknowledge the extent of the problems raised by the devastating program.

• ‘Child abuse jokes’ claimed at WRU event as details of Amanda Blank’s devastating resignation speech emerge
• The Jamie George incident is outrageous and warrants an investigation
• Exile Hunter: Anonymous talent scout tasked with finding New Wales star Warren Gatland