By Bill Hooper, at the Recreation Ground
It was a great way for Redruth centre Sam Parsons to sign off at the Recreation Ground on Saturday scoring the Reds second try of the game and taking the man-of-the-match award in Redruth’s 44-14 win over Chinnor.
As he heads down to Australia to begin a new life he will take with him plenty of happy memories from playing rugby in Cornwall. “I’ve had a great time playing here at Redruth, the club has been very good to me, I came here from Mount’s Bay where I dislocated my shoulder, struggled back and then we had that awful season in National 1 and I fell out of love with rugby to be honest but coming to Redruth really rekindled my love of the game so I am really grateful to the Reds for that.
“This trip has been in the planning for some time and it’s a wonderful opportunity that I can’t pass up so whilst I am sorry to be leaving I am also looking forward to discovering a new life.
This season has arguably seen Parsons’ playing some of his best rugby. “I don’t know why it is but this season it all seems to have clicked, getting used to playing with the boys around me and the style of rugby we are playing this year really suits my game. It’s probably my best form since I’ve been here.
Parsons’ career has seen him playing with amongst others the Cornish Pirates, Mount’s Bay, Redruth and for Cornwall. Asked if he could pick out a highlight “It wasn’t actually playing in Cornwall but the last game Redruth played in National League 1when we stepped off the bus at Wharfedale and we walked through a tunnel of nosie, there must have been well over two hundred and fifty Redruth supporters there that day. That just showed how much this club means to those supporters who had travelled all that way despite the fact that we were already relegated. That for me was the best feeling in rugby I’ve experienced.
Parsons will not be hanging up his boots while in Australia. “I am going to sign for a club called Hamilton Hawks who play in the Hunter Valley league in Newcastle, New South Wales. Redruth will always have a special place in my heart, they say “Once a Red always a Red”, and that’s absolutely true, I shall follow their results and I wish the club all the best.
Parsons will play his final game for Redruth this Saturday when the Reds travel to play Lydney at Regentsholme before heading off to Australia.
