Tom Parsons dots down for a try during a game between Hawke's Bay Magpies and Tasman, NPC provincial rugby semifinal at McLean Park, Napier in November last year. Photo / Ian Cooper
Tom Parsons dots down for a try during a game between Hawke's Bay Magpies and Tasman, NPC provincial rugby semifinal at McLean Park, Napier in November last year. Photo / Ian Cooper
Hawke's Bay Magpies captain Tom Parsons made his Super Rugby debut on Friday night, coming off the bench after an hour.
Unfortunately, it wasn't to be a winning start for the 31-year-old, as Moana Pasifika took the spoils 24-19 after fellow Magpie Danny Toala's try in golden point extra time.
"I found out (about the selection) on Monday. It was nice to get the news that I was going to debut in Super Rugby. It felt good during the week."
Parsons played in the Japanese Top League two years ago for Toshiba Brave Lupus, but Super Rugby had been elusive.
"I've had a couple of opportunities along the way to be in the mix. I've been to the Hurricanes a couple of times before as injury cover and I've been to the Highlanders for the same thing, but I've never got the opportunity to actually get on the field while I was in those campaigns. It's taken a few years to finally get out on the pitch, so it was nice to get that on Friday night."
Tom Parsons says it t was good to get out on the park and get amongst it on his Super Rugby debut. Photo / NZME
The Lindisfarne College old boy has signed with the Hurricanes for the rest of the season, and his first appearance coincidentally came across a Moana Pasifika team that not only had their first victory since joining the competition this season, but also contains many of his Magpies teammates who are also in their first season of Super Rugby.
"It was good to debut against all those boys and get an opportunity to play against them. Some of them are playing some pretty good footy at the moment."
Parsons confirmed he will line up again for his home province later this year and also looked back at a successful 2021 season.
"I'm really proud of the season last year and what we managed to achieve. It was a bit gutting the way it ended, but that's sport and if someone had said to us at the start of the season that we'd be in a semi-final and retain the Ranfurly Shield for the whole season, then we would have taken that hands-down.
"But obviously when you get to the crunch time you want to go that one better and we just weren't quite able to do that, but that gives us plenty of motivation for the season ahead."
