SCOTLAND: Outhalf Dan Parks has retired from international rugby with immediate effect, the Scottish Rugby Union announced yesterday. The 33-year-old made his 67th Six Nations Test appearance during the defeat by England and was culpable for the decisive try as Charlie Hodgson charged down his kick.
The Cardiff Blues playmaker, who made his debut in 2004, has now made way for the next generation, with the Edinburgh captain Greig Laidlaw expected to start for Scotland in Sunday’s Six Nations fixture against Wales in Cardiff and the uncapped Glasgow Warriors outhalf Duncan Weir set for a place on the replacements’ bench.
Parks had been contemplating retiring after the World Cup, when he was second choice behind Ruaridh Jackson, but the lure of the opening Six Nations clash with England was too strong. However, he has now called time on his Test career, insisting the time is right.
He said: “I was thinking about it but the first game of the Six Nations was against England, the auld enemy, Jacko was injured and being able to play against England was huge for me as there was a sense of unfinished business. On reflection after the game, after talking it over with my family, girlfriend and close friends, I’ve come to the decision that now is the right time to retire from the international game.”
The Scotland head coach, Andy Robinson, did not select Parks in his first squad as head coach in 2009, but the Australia-born playmaker proved his credentials and has steered Scotland to a number of successes since returning. However, he fell down the pecking order as Robinson fostered a more expansive game plan and now his Test career is over following 266 points, including a Scottish record 17 drop-goals.
Parks is the third long-serving Scot to retire following the World Cup, after Nathan Hines and Chris Paterson.
WALES: Warren Gatland has been buoyed by news Dan Lydiate and Gethin Jenkins are in contention to face Scotland in the Six Nations on Sunday.
Flanker Lydiate (ankle) and prop Jenkins (knee) missed the opening weekend win over Ireland, but the duo are to return to training ahead of the clash at the Millennium Stadium.
Cardiff Blues winger Alex Cuthbert will also be available for selection after recovering from a bang to a head, while the Wales medical team are hopeful captain Sam Warburton will be fine after suffering a dead leg. The team is set to be announced tomorrow.
ENGLAND: Toby Flood has been released to play for Leicester this weekend – but Lee Dickson is still part of England's plans for their Six Nations clash with Italy in Rome on Saturday. Flood made his comeback from knee ligament damage for the Tigers last Saturday and he spent the last two days training with the team.
But interim England coach Stuart Lancaster has decided outhalf Flood needs another game under his belt before making his Test return.
Charlie Hodgson was limited to non-contact work in training yesterday as he recovers from a blow to the shoulder but he is set to retain his place at outhalf for the game at the Stadio Olimpico.
Dickson was expected to be out for four weeks after fracturing a bone in his hand during his Test debut off the bench in England’s 13-6 win against Scotland. But the Northampton scrumhalf trained with the squad yesterday and is one of three scrumhalves in the 24-man squad bound for Rome.
Joe Simpson has joined Ben Youngs and Dickson in the trimmed-down squad, replacing Gloucester wing Charlie Sharples as the only change to the squad that travelled to Edinburgh last weekend.
Lancaster will finalise his 22-man match-day squad to face Italy tomorrow morning, before the squad travel to Rome.
Sharples, who missed out on the final 22 last week, joins Flood as one of eight players released for Premiership action this weekend, along with Dave Attwood, Matt Banahan, Calum Clark, Karl Dickson, Lee Mears and Thomas Waldrom.
