Dan Parks to Connacht?

Being rumoured this morning, havent been able to find much outside of rumours on other forums and this article in the Irish Times which is mainly about Ulster vs Blues but mentions that ;

"Cardiff are without the injured, Munster-bound centre Casey Laulala but Dan Parks, who is seemingly Connacht-bound, is at outhalf having retired from international rugby."

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0217/1224311917214.html

Really not sure what to make of this, cant see Parks making Connacht any weaker than they are already.

Parks would be a good addition to Connacht. They need somebody who can control things at 10 and numerous times this season they've lost because the other team had a better kicker.

Was thinking that myself profitius, they've lost a couple this season from missed place kicks.

They are more than welcome to him as far as I’m concerned.
It'll be interesting to see how Connacht supporters react to the news.
I can’t imagine they’ll be jumping for joy if he does sign.

They could have beaten Leinster with a good goal kicker. Niall O’Connor is an ok player, he’s honest and puts in hard work but he’s not very good and he won’t improve Connacht rugby in any material way. Parks would be a great signing, a solid goalkicker would be a massive boost to the men from the wesht.

Mickado wrote:They could have beaten Leinster with a good goal kicker. Niall O’Connor is an ok player, he’s honest and puts in hard work but he’s not very good and he won’t improve Connacht rugby in any material way. Parks would be a great signing, a solid goalkicker would be a massive boost to the men from the wesht.

They could have beaten Leinster with an exceptional goal kicker. Its terrible kicking conditions in Galway, even Parks would find his accuracy challenged if that move goes through. It is another NIQ though, where are they going to rejig or are they getting some from Leinster/Munster/Ulster in other positions.

bandwagon,

The NIQ restrictions apply to the other 3 provinces. Connacht are a special case.

thebandwagonsociety wrote:

Mickado wrote:They could have beaten Leinster with a good goal kicker. Niall O’Connor is an ok player, he’s honest and puts in hard work but he’s not very good and he won’t improve Connacht rugby in any material way. Parks would be a great signing, a solid goalkicker would be a massive boost to the men from the wesht.

They could have beaten Leinster with an exceptional goal kicker. Its terrible kicking conditions in Galway, even Parks would find his accuracy challenged if that move goes through. It is another NIQ though, where are they going to rejig or are they getting some from Leinster/Munster/Ulster in other positions.

They don’t have to rejig. They’re not subject to the same restrictions as the other 3.

It’s ironic that of the 5 Irish teams (the 4 provinces and the national team) that Connacht and Ireland are the least well run. And the IRFU runs both of them.

I've heard both a Connacht and a French move are possible

I think a move to Connacht would work well for all parties. Parks is a very good Rabo12 player, I think he's the top scorer in the history of the competition, and he'll work extremely hard at mastering the kicking conditions in Galway, believe me. The pitch at Glasgow is pretty narrow and Parks became a master of finding the corners and keeping the ball low out of the wind.

Most Scotland fans will say bad things about Parks, and Connacht won't become the most free flowing team with Parks at 10, but as a club player for a struggling team like Connacht (who are in a similar position to Glasgow when Parks joined) I think it's an excellent move.

Was saying in the papers up here earlier in the week, that he was considering a number of offers from France. That does seem to be like a template sentance stuck into any story about a player who is out of contract.

Mickado wrote:Parks would be a great signing

If Connacht wants a fly half who kicks away needless possession, fails to get a back line moving, constantly ignores overlaps and drop goals inside the opponents 22 killing any sort of momentum then he's the perfect signing!

Londonwelsh - yeh, that's all he does. Well done.

Poor old Dan, he gets an awful time of it. I feel sorry for the fella, he’s really not as bad as some people claim.

Yeah,

You and I both sat at Croke Park a couple of years ago and watched him kick Scotland to a rather unexpected victory.

Wales v Scotland 2010
Ireland v Scotland 2010
Racing Metro v Cardiff Blues 2011

3 games where Dan Parks was quality as i'm sure there are many more.

Of course he has had good games for club and country. Unfortunately for Dan the bad will always outweigh the good and consistency has always been an issue. He can win your team a game with a last minute drop goal or a moment of genius, but he can easily lose you the game by doing something very silly.

My impression of Parks is that he will try to win you the game. But if behind during the game he can be picked off trying to force something special from happening, ending up being well behind.
There is an honesty of effort that I'd say would be respected and appreciated in Connacht and Elwood could still teach the old kid some tricks.

MrsP wrote:Yeah,

You and I both sat at Croke Park a couple of years ago and watched him kick Scotland to a rather unexpected victory.

Yep, will never forget that. Probably why i respect him as a player so much.

Mickado wrote:Poor old Dan, he gets an awful time of it. I feel sorry for the fella, he’s really not as bad as some people claim.

You're right and he's been one of the best at doing what he's always done, but unfortunately he has no running game to speak of. His default setting is kick and if in doubt kick it again. Failing that, pass it on for somebody else to create something. Infuriating to watch at times.
That's what I find so disappointing about Parks in that he doesn't seem to have ever improved the aspects of his game where he is weakest. He could have been so much better otherwise and so would've Scotland no doubt.

Connacht don't have a scintillating back line to get moving anyway. Their options at 9 aren't great. They have a gifted 13 and a gifted 11 but that aside their is mediocrity (although Leyden coming through looks promising).

What they do have is a reasonable pack who work their arse off putting Connacht in positions to get points. Parks will dramatically increase the amount of points they take from these positions. Very astute signing if it comes off.

If he was to move would that mean nikora or jarvis would be let go?

Jarvis can play across the backline and he will be Irish qualified so i'd imagine Nikora would go.

Dan Parks won't be able to resist a drop goal attempt from his own half when that Galway breeze freshens. Bet he gets it too.

Cardiff Dave wrote:Dan Parks won't be able to resist a drop goal attempt from his own half when that Galway breeze freshens. Bet he gets it too.

That fresh breeze would probably blow the ball back through his own posts though.... i'd pay to see it.

Mickado wrote:Poor old Dan, he gets an awful time of it. I feel sorry for the fella, he’s really not as bad as some people claim.

+1 He hasn't been on form recently but he is not an awful player if you play to a game plan that uses his strengths and covers his weaknesses. Like Connacht have

thebandwagonsociety wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:Dan Parks won't be able to resist a drop goal attempt from his own half when that Galway breeze freshens. Bet he gets it too.

That fresh breeze would probably blow the ball back through his own posts though.... i'd pay to see it.

That would be an own drop goal. Do they count?

I presume there is a really old rule that states that if you drop kick the ball through your own posts it indicates that you forfeit the game.