Scotland - Dan Parks needs to run

I couldn't help noticing in the Georgia game that Dan Parks would simply refuse to take contact. Now I know that he hardly has a reputation for being physical - a massive understatement - but we cannot seriously criticise our backline for a lack of cutting edge when the man who is supposed to be running the show is no threat to the defense. Each time he got close to the Geogians he would pop a wholly predictable offload, rarely drawing a defender.
Now I have no problem with Parks starting against Argentina as his kicking game will suit the forward dominated style of the game, but he has to do 2 things.
Firstly, improve his kicking. It was poor for large parts of the Georgia game, and it is the only reason that he is there.
Secondly, as I have said, at least draw some defenders when he has the ball, and take contact at some point so that our back line is not entirely predictable.

Thoughts? Am I expecting too much of a so called 'kicking fly half'?

In short, yes. He is exactly the same for Cardiff and his kicking out of hand is nothing to write home about.

Is your title missing a word? "away"?

I have only ever seen 2 games when I thought 'maybe I've got it wrong, he can be quite good'. I've realised that it was an aberration. Scotland will never achieve anything in the backs with him playing. I don't see any possibility of him coming good consistently. Sorry.

Your only just saying this now? Us Blues supporters have been saying it since a year ago today.

aitchw wrote:I have only ever seen 2 games when I thought 'maybe I've got it wrong, he can be quite good'. I've realised that it was an aberration. Scotland will never achieve anything in the backs with him playing. I don't see any possibility of him coming good consistently. Sorry.

Dunno what you are apologising for, pretty much every Scottish fan on these boards will agree with everything you have said!

wales606 wrote:Your only just saying this now? Us Blues supporters have been saying it since a year ago today.

I think you'll find that we Scots have been saying this for yonks - what we couldn't work out was why it came as such a surprise to Blues fans when Desperate moved to Cardiff? Had Dai Young never noticed the typical Glasgow gameplan? Had he not seen how Lineen buried DP in defence and replaced him with a winger?

Morning As,
Yes, that's olde news about Parks. Has always kicked too much. And I agree that its not fair to criticise the backs when they don't get good ball from their out half.

Theres no point trying to change him, hes 33 now, surely must be winding down over the next year or so. although seeing as he has never tackled or been tackled in his life, id imagine his body is not worn down the way most players are at his age...

oh and good choice of username mr ghyll. i just hope you havent been laying any razorwire in your garden...

I do realise that he has been like for god knows how long, but surely it can't be too much to ask for him to take contact one or two times? Just to plant even the tiniest seed of doubt in the defence's mind.

And Imperial, cheers, how else am I supposed to keep the kids out?

Does anyone actually remember when Dan Parks actually made a break? Or even a half break?

I think he ran once, last season....it sticks in the memory, I think it was last november...he got turned over.

To be fair, he did the job against Georgia (fortunate precipitation helped) but he is never (much like Wilkinson,) going to throw the ball about!

His kicking can actually be very good, but not often

If you'd seen him try to run you wouldn't be wanting to see it again. He's painfully laboured and slow.

Parks will not change his game plan, and he's far too long in the tooth to become a different type of player.

A far more pertinent question is why Jackson doesn't run more and take contact. He's a far younger and quicker player, and I felt he didn't commit the defence enough against Romania, and vary his game sufficiently. I'd like to see him play against Argentina and running hard at their stand-off on occassion, that would stop the Argentina forwards being able to sprint wide in order to get to Sean Lamont. If Lamont gets shut down, we start to run short of carrying options in the backs.

we know jackson can and does, yet his lack of it against romania would hint that hed been given a set of tactics and told to stick to them.

This is shaping up to be AR's biggest selection error - i.e. taking Parks and not taking Laidlaw/

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:This is shaping up to be AR's biggest selection error - i.e. taking Parks and not taking Laidlaw/

Hi first post on here. Been lurking for a while. Agree totally with 21st!
Favourite moment of last year was when Chunk had Parks between him and the line as someone commented like a lion looking at a wounded wildebeest.