Internationals - Parks dropped by Scotland

Eurosport - Wed, 21 Oct 15:17:00 2009

Andy Robinson has named three uncapped players in the Scotland squad for his first game in charge against Fiji, but there is no place for fly-half Dan Parks.

Dan Parks - 0

Robinson called up Edinburgh back row Alan MacDonald, Glasgow forward Richie Vernon and Worcester back Alex Grove for next month's opening autumn international at Murrayfield.

Glasgow star Parks (pictured), who had widely been tipped for a recall due to a lack of options at fly-half, misses out for the game on November 14.

Also omitted was Parks' Warriors team-mate Jon Welsh, despite the young prop earning rave reviews for his performances this season.

Robinson said: "We've chosen the squad primarily on the basis of current form and there's a good balance of players."

Singling out flanker MacDonald - who turned 24 today - and Vernon, 22, for special praise, he added: "Both have done well this season where, once again, the competition in the back row is intense, with Roddy Grant also knocking at the door."

They and Grove were all part of the IRB Nations Cup-winning Scotland A squad Robinson took to Romania in the summer shortly after his appointment.

The ex-England boss revealed prop Kyle Traynor and centre John Houston, both of his former club Edinburgh, had only narrowly missed out on selection for the Fiji game.

Squad

Backs: Mike Blair (Edinburgh), Ben Cairns (Edinburgh), Chris Cusiter (Glasgow), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Nick de Luca (Edinburgh), Thom Evans (Glasgow), Phil Godman (Edinburgh), Alex Grove (Worcester), Rory Lamont (Toulon), Sean Lamont (Scarlets), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), Graeme Morrison (Glasgow), Chris Paterson (Edinburgh), Hugo Southwell (Stade Francais), Nikki Walker (Ospreys).

Forwards: John Barclay (Glasgow), Johnnie Beattie (Glasgow), Kelly Brown (Glasgow), Geoff Cross (Edinburgh), Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester), Ross Ford (Edinburgh), Dougie Hall (Glasgow), Nathan Hines (Leinster), Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Alastair Kellock (Glasgow), Scott Lawson (Gloucester), Moray Low (Glasgow), Alan MacDonald (Edinburgh), Scott MacLeod (Edinburgh), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester), Richie Vernon (Glasgow), Jason White (Clermont Auvergne).

PA Sport

Comment 1 - 5 of 5

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  1. i remember in the world cup quarter finals... multiple­ missed penalties by parks, 4 i think, meaning scotland­ lost 18-15... gosh that was a painful match to watch.­ As per usual in that world cup, all points were scored­ by Chris Paterson, in my opinion the most underated­ player in the Northern Hemisphere.

    From rader, on Wed 21 Oct 11:35PM

  2. Parks is no loss. At best he's poor, at worst­ he's suicidal in a Scotland jersey. Even when he­ was playing well at club level in the past, as soon as­ he put on an international shirt he was a disaster. We­ need to rebuild and I'm afraid Parks should not­ even be in the frame.

    From John L, on Wed 21 Oct 6:34PM

  3. How about giving Paterson go got to be better than­ Parks

    From alan, on Wed 21 Oct 6:02PM

  4. there must be a bright spark out there to play­ 10...what would we do for a Craig Chalmers! How about­ recalling Dougie Wylie?

    From hblackburn, on Wed 21 Oct 5:48PM

  5. he wont be mist sorry to say one trick pony

    From alan, on Wed 21 Oct 5:32PM
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