R. D. Parkes
Born 14 August 1973, Bromsgrove, England
572 player to be capped by the Royal Navy Rugby Union and currently third in the all time capped players list with 23
23 caps
Played against the Army in 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Played against the Royal Air Force in 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Inter Service Record
Played 23 Won 10 Drew 0 Lost 13
Inter Service Titles 2
1995 Royal Navy 34 Army 17
1995 Royal Navy 43 Royal Air Force 19
1996 Royal Navy 9 Army 6
1996 Royal Navy 12 Royal Air Force 14
1998 Royal Navy 22 Army 36
1998 Royal Navy 11 Royal Air Force 8
1999 Royal Navy 13 Army 24
2000 Royal Navy 14 Army 32
2000 Royal Navy 23 Royal Air Force 5
2001 Royal Navy 31 Army 20
2001 Royal Navy 23 Royal Air Force 3
2002 Royal Navy 13 Army 18
2002 Royal Navy 24 Royal Air Force 19
2003 Royal Navy 16 Army 53
2003 Royal Navy 34 Royal Air Force 27
2004 Royal Navy 16 Army 32
2004 Royal Navy 49 Royal Air Force 5
2005 Royal Navy 15 Army 41
2005 Royal Navy 16 Royal Air Force 24
2006 Royal Navy 3 Army 9
2006 Royal Navy 34 Royal Air Force 6
2007 Royal Navy 25 Army 39
2007 Royal Navy 58 Royal Air Force 3
Clubs
Devonport Services RFC
Bridgewater and Albion RFC
Plymouth Albions RFC
Cornish Pirates
Exeter Chiefs
Bath
Brixham
Leading AEM Dan Parkes will probably be best remembered in Navy Rugby circles for captaining the 2001 Inter Services team (and for those that were fortunate enough to be there) his speech after the players dinner in the evening! He remains the only Able Rate to have captained the Navy Rugby team. (Update: in 2019 Rose Dixon and Scott Makepeace were both Able Rates when they captained the Women and Men respectively)
A long servant of Navy Rugby he was part of the ‘Three Amigos’ front row with fellow prop Nick Bartlett alongside hooker Martin Wooltorton. His debut season was part of an Inter Service winning team in 1995. Whilst in 1996, his second season, he was part of a 3-way tie in the days before points difference was used. Though obviously second to the 2001 and 1995 exploits Dan left Navy Rugby on a high with this clip from Roger Thompson’s match report against the RAF as reported in the Navy News: “It would be wrong not to record the most unexpected 50m break of the season by veteran prop Dan Parkes. After a deal of thumping and casting off would-be tacklers, Parkes found himself with the ball in space. He took the option to run and outstripped all but the final line of Light Blue cover. Power is the essence of the Navy game and they are to a man highly mobile.”
His long service to Navy Rugby was also recognised by the Barbarians who selected him on a couple of occasions, a side he played against in navy colours as part of the Royal Navy Rugby Union’s centenary celebrations in 2006. All told his representative honours included 9 Combined Services caps, capped for England Students and honours for three County sides, Somerset, Cornwall and the Devon team that won two County Championship titles.
Prior to his successful rugby career Dan also won GB honours in judo. He is currently still involved with rugby as a coach at Brixham whose president, until is sad death in 2012, was another Navy stalwart, Danny Irvine.