Geoff Parling
Encyclopedia
Geoff Parling is a rugby union
player. He plays for Leicester Tigers
as a lock or flanker
.
He signed a contract to play for Leicester Tigers
for the 2009/10 season.
His debut for Leicester Tigers
came against the club he had just left, and his first start for the club was in the Heineken Cup
clash with Benetton Rugby Treviso
. He also played in the Friendly match against , which the Tigers won 22–17.
Injuries to other Tigers players helped him to hold down a starting berth at lock, and the Tigers topped the table. They went on to win the 2009-10 Guinness Premiership final 33–27 against Saracens
. Parling stole a vital line-out in the final minute of the game, which was right on the Tigers' try-line. He was voted Newcomer of the Year by Tigers supporters.
He was added to the revised England Saxons
squad as cover for Nick Kennedy on 25 January 2010. He played in the wins against Ireland A and Italy A. Parling was selected in the 44-man squad to tour Australia in June 2010, and played in the first game against the Australian Barbarians, though missed out on selection for the second as a result of a neck injury.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. He plays for Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
as a lock or flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
.
Club career
After attending Newcastle University, he began his club career at Newcastle Falcons. Parling became a first team regular in the 2005–06 season, winning the players' player of the year award. Parling captained Newcastle on several occasions during the 2006–07 season. He was the runner-up for the Gatorade Performance of the Guinness Premiership Season 2008–09.He signed a contract to play for Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
for the 2009/10 season.
His debut for Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
came against the club he had just left, and his first start for the club was in the Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
clash with Benetton Rugby Treviso
Benetton Rugby Treviso
Benetton Rugby Treviso are an Italian professional rugby union club currently competing in the RaboDirect Pro12 and the Heineken Cup.They are based in Treviso in Veneto, and owned by the Benetton clothing company....
. He also played in the Friendly match against , which the Tigers won 22–17.
Injuries to other Tigers players helped him to hold down a starting berth at lock, and the Tigers topped the table. They went on to win the 2009-10 Guinness Premiership final 33–27 against Saracens
Saracens F.C.
Saracens are a professional rugby union team based in St. Albans, England – although they play their home games at Vicarage Road, in Watford. They are currently members of the Aviva Premiership, the top level of domestic rugby union in England...
. Parling stole a vital line-out in the final minute of the game, which was right on the Tigers' try-line. He was voted Newcomer of the Year by Tigers supporters.
International career
Parling represented England at Under 16s, Under 18s, Under 19s, and Under 21 level.He was added to the revised England Saxons
England Saxons
England Saxons is the current name of England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England A...
squad as cover for Nick Kennedy on 25 January 2010. He played in the wins against Ireland A and Italy A. Parling was selected in the 44-man squad to tour Australia in June 2010, and played in the first game against the Australian Barbarians, though missed out on selection for the second as a result of a neck injury.