Chris Parker (rugby league) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Christopher Parker is a rugby league player for Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder is a professional rugby league club based in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear in England. They currently play in the Championship 1 competition, the third tier of rugby league in the United Kingdom...

. A prop forward, he is signed to the club till the end of the 2011 season.

He started his rugby career at Blaydon

Blaydon

Blaydon-on-Tyne is a town in the North East of England in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. The former urban district, however, extends much further, its fourteen and a half square miles constituting the largest administrative district, after Newcastle, on Tyneside...

RUFC at 15 years old. Having stints at Newcastle Falcons

Newcastle Falcons

The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...

Academy and representing his county.
In 2000 he joined the British Army

British Army

The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...

, Royal Signals Corps.
During his six years service he represented the Royal Corps of Signals in both rugby union and league as well as representing the army rugby league at U-21 level and the combined services academy.
Chris started his amateur rugby league career at Newcastle Knights ARLFC having two seasons under coach and Gateshead Thunder player Steven Rutherford.
Chris then moved to the north east's highest amateur team Gateshead Storm

Gateshead Storm

Newcastle Storm are an amateur rugby league club in the North East of England. They play in the North East Premier of the Rugby League Conference.-Newcastle Knights:...

RLFC playing with Storm greats such as Harry Gee and Andrew Pybus. He enjoyed 3 seasons with Gateshead Storm

Gateshead Storm

Newcastle Storm are an amateur rugby league club in the North East of England. They play in the North East Premier of the Rugby League Conference.-Newcastle Knights:...

as well as stints with Union sides Blaydon and Winlaton before eventually being given a trial at Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder

. RLFC by coach Dave Woods.
Chris featured in a few games in the 2007 season most notably receiving man of the match against Celtic Crusaders in the final game of the season, Chris also was rewarded with a one year contract for the 2008 season.
In 2008 Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder

, transformed from a bottom of the league side to a National League 2 winning side attaining promotion to the newly named Championship. Chris was awarded the most improved player for 2008 and was given a new one year deal for 2009.
Chris started the 2009 season well playing 18 consecutive games scoring his first ever Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder

. try against Rochdale Hornets in the Northern Rail Cup and adding to his tally with a well taken try in front of the sky sports cameras against Sheffield Eagles. Chris spent the last part of the 2009 season as Gatesheads 18th man.
Chris finished the 2009 with some positive news signing a 2 year contract extension and receiving a call up to the Malta national rugby league team

Malta national rugby league team

In 2004, the Maltese Rugby League Association was formed to introduce the game of rugby league football to Malta. Malta played its first game in Malta on October 22, 2005 when they defeated England Lionhearts 36-6 at the Marsa Stadium, and in 2008 a domestic competition kicked off on the island.The...

for a friendly international against touring English side Bamber Bridge RLFC.
Chris Made his début for the Malta national rugby league team

Malta national rugby league team

on 3 October 2009 in the 36 - 28 win over Bamber Bridge RLFC and was named Vice-Captain by caretaker coach Anthony Micallef. Chris also scored his first try for the country and added the extras from the resulting kick.
After the holding company of Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder

decided to wind up all contract were cancelled, Chris resigned for the newly formed Gateshead Thunder side to play in Championship One in 2010.
In 2010 chris made 24 appearances for Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder

only missing one game for a Malta national rugby league team

Malta national rugby league team

fixture against Norway.

On 4 June 2010 Parker helped Malta

Malta national rugby league team

come from 10-0 down mid way through the first half to defeat Norway, 30-20 to take the Rugby League European Federation Bowl at the Victor Tedesco Stadium

Victor Tedesco Stadium

The Victor Tedesco Stadium is a stadium in Ħamrun, Malta. It opened in 1996. It has a capacity of 6,000, with 1,800 seated. It is the home ground of Maltese football club Ħamrun Spartans, who currently play in the Maltese Premier League. It is used for matches from the Maltese Premier League, the...

, Hamrun

Hamrun

Ħamrun is a town in the Inner Harbour Region of Malta, with a population of 8,800 people .The villagers are traditionally known as Tas-Sikkina or as Ta' Werwer...

.

In 2011 Chris Parker has been named the 2009-2010 Ray Morris Medal Winner by the Malta Rugby League (MRL), commonly known as Maltese Player of the Year.
He also took over the reigns of the Maltese National Team Captain from the retireing Daniel Grima, the first game under his captaincy saw the Maltese team put in a strong preformance in their first game of the European Shield against Germany on 24 July 2011 but unfortunately the German side were too strong for the 15 man Maltese Squad taking the game 36-12, Parker scoring one of the Maltese two tries.

2011 sees chris in his 5th year at Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder

where he looks to build on his 99 appearances and hopefully pushing into the 100 appearances club with Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder

greats such as Robin Peers, Neil Thorman and Steven Rutherford.

Club statistics
Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder

Career
Appearances: 99
Tries:2

Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder

2011
Appearances: 25
Tries:0

Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder

2010
Appearances: 24
Tries:0

Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder

2009
Appearances: 17
Tries:2

Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder

2008
Appearances:24
Tries:0

Gateshead Thunder

Gateshead Thunder

2007
Appearances:9
Tries:0

Maltese International Stats

Malta

Malta national rugby league team

Career
Appearances: 4
Tries:2 Conversion: 1

Debut vs Bamber Bridge ARLFC, Won 36 - 28
Try:1 Conversion: 1

European Bowl vs Norway, Won 30-20
Try:0 Conversion:0

Malta vs Lancashire B.A.R.L.A, Lost 0-60
Try:0 Conversion:0

European Shield vs Germany, Lost 36-12
Try:1 Conversion:0

External links

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