Tom Parsons | |
Fullname: | Thomas Ian Parsons |
Birth Date: | 25 June 1990 |
Birth Place: | Takapau, New Zealand |
Weight: | 113kg (249lb) |
School: | Lindisfarne College |
Relatives: | James Parsons (cousin) |
Position: | Lock |
Currentclub: | , Urayasu D-Rocks |
Years1: | 2012–2014 |
Apps1: | 15 |
Points1: | 0 |
Years2: | 2015–2017 |
Apps2: | 29 |
Points2: | 0 |
Years3: | 2018– |
Apps3: | 72 |
Points3: | 60 |
Years4: | 2020 |
Clubs4: | Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo |
Apps4: | 4 |
Points4: | 0 |
Years5: | 2022 |
Apps5: | 2 |
Points5: | 0 |
Years6: | 2024 |
Clubs6: | Urayasu D-Rocks |
Apps6: | 3 |
Points6: | 0 |
Clubupdate: | 19 August 2024 |
Tom Parsons (born 25 June 1990) is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a lock for in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition.[1]
Parsons attended Lindisfarne College (2004-2008) and is a former player and captain of the college's 1st XV team. He is the son of former loose forward Rod Parsons (1988-1989, 18 games). His brother Ben Parsons also played 3 games at lock for the Magpies in 2017.[2] [3] Former All Blacks and Blues hooker James Parsons is his cousin.
Parsons was – for the first time – named in the Hawke's Bay squad ahead of the 2012 ITM Cup season.[4] He made his NPC debut for the Magpies on 21 September 2012, via the reserves bench, in a tight 42–41 win over .[5] In his first three seasons, he played 15 games for the province.
In 2015, Parsons signed with .[6] He debuted for the Turbos on 16 August 2015 against .[7] He played 29 games for Manawatū in three seasons.
Parsons returned to Hawke's Bay and was named in the Magpies squad for the 2018 Mitre 10 Cup season.[8] That season turned out to become his breakout season, in which he became a regular starter for Hawke's Bay. On 23 October 2018, Parsons won the Magpies Player of the Year award and Forward of the Year award at the team's end-of-season awards function.[9]
On 27 November 2019, Japanese club Toshiba Brave Lupus announced the signing of Parsons on a six-month contract for their 2020 Top League season.[10] He made his debut for the club on 18 January 2020 in a game against NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes. He played only four games for the side because the 2020 Top League season was cancelled after round 6 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] [12]
He returned to Hawke's Bay for the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup season, which turned out to be a successful one. The Magpies won the Ranfurly Shield,[13] successfully defended the Shield three times and won the Mitre 10 Cup Championship, thus securing a well-deserved promotion to the Premiership division.[14] The Magpies held on to the Shield during the entire 2021 Bunnings NPC season, winning all six Ranfurly Shield defences.[15] Parsons captained the team in the last few rounds of the season, after long-term captain Ash Dixon had left to play in Japan.
Over the years, Parsons turned out for the Development team on a regular basis,[16] [17] but despite several strong seasons for, he wasn't offered a Super Rugby contract. During the 2021 Super Rugby season, he was called into the squad as short-term injury cover, but didn't get any game time.[18]
While not being named in the initial squad for the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, Parsons was eventually offered a contract and joined the franchise during preseason.[19] He made his Super Rugby debut for the Hurricanes – off the bench – on 25 March 2022 against .[20] His starting debut followed in the return game against Moana Pasifika on 12 April 2022.[21]
On 15 February 2024, Urayasu D-Rocks announced that Parsons would be joining the club for the remainder of the 2023–2024 Japan Rugby League One season.[22]