Parks Named Scotland Players’ Player

Stand-off Dan Parks topped the Scotland players’ own poll for their Player of the World Cup. Parks, 29, who played in all five matches during the tournament as Scotland maintained their record of always qualifying for the knockout stages, was hailed by coach Frank Hadden for the tremendous consistency of his line-kicking and distribution.Stand-off Dan Parks topped the Scotland players’ own poll for their Player of the World Cup. Parks, 29, who played in all five matches during the tournament as Scotland maintained their record of always qualifying for the knockout stages, was hailed by coach Frank Hadden for the tremendous consistency of his line-kicking and distribution. Parks, the Glasgow Warriors pivot, kicked six goals out of seven attempts during the tournament and added his fourth Scotland try in the opening pool victory over Portugal. All players in the Scotland squad voted for their top performer after each game. Runner-up was Sale Sharks full-back/wing, Rory Lamont, while third place was taken by No 8 Simon Taylor (Stade Francais). Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors) Stand-off. Born: 26.5.78 Hornsby, Australia. Height: 5ft 11in (1.81m). Weight: 14st 7lb (92kg). Daniel Arthur Parks contributed 14 points (a try and five conversions) to Scotland’s 56-10 win against Portugal on his World Cup debut in St Etienne in September 2007. He gained his first Scotland cap as a replacement in the opening match of the 2004 RBS Six Nations Championship against Wales, and he became Scotland’s first-choice stand-off on that summer’s tour of his native Australia. He played in all three Tests as well as the midweek game against New South Wales Country, scoring a total of nine penalties and eight conversions. He continued as first-choice fly half for the 2004 Abbey Autumn Tests, but he had to wait until his ninth cap before scoring his first international try – in the 100-8 victory against Japan in November 2004. He followed up with two tries in 2005 – against Romania in Bucharest and then Argentina at Murrayfield. In that later match he weighed in with his second international drop goal, and his third was in the 2006 Calcutta Cup triumph against England at Murrayfield. Dan joined Glasgow Rugby in summer 2003 from the Eastern Suburbs club in Sydney. Before then he played for New South Wales at under-21 and A levels, and for three months in 2001 he was on trial with Leeds Tykes. Dan’s debut for Glasgow was as a replacement in the Celtic Cup victory over Celtic Warriors at Bridgend in September 2003, and he made his first start two weeks later when Glasgow won the Celtic Cup quarter-final against Munster at Hughenden. A former pupil of Marsden High School (Sydney), he qualifies for Scotland through his maternal grandfather, who was born in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire. International record 37 caps. 2004 – W(rep) E(rep) F(rep) I Sam(rep) A1 A2 A3 J A4 SA. 2005 – F I It W R Arg Sam NZ. 2006 – F W E I It(rep) SA1 PI A. 2007 – E I1 F I2(rep) SA(rep) WC(Por R NZ(rep) It Arg). Points: 89 points – 4 tries, 10 penalties, 15 conversions, 3 drop goals. Our picture shows Dan being congratulated by Scotland fans after the team’s crucial victory over Italy in St Etienne.