England and Wales lose stars to Japan
TRANSFER NEWS: England lock George Kruis and Welsh centre Hadleigh Parkes have signed to play for Panasonic Wild Knights in next year’s Japanese Top League, the club announced on Monday.
Kruis, capped 45 caps for his country and once for the British and Irish Lions, featured at last year’s World Cup but coach Eddie Jones mainly used the 30-year-old as a substitute in England’s run to the final.
New Zealand-born Parkes, 32, was an ever-present for the Welsh side that lost in the semifinals to eventual champions South Africa.
For the Scarlets player, the decision effectively means an end to his international career and he told the BBC that moving to Japan “certainly wasn’t a quick or easy decision”.
“But when you have to weigh up your family’s future, it is an incredible opportunity for us and we are really excited about what lies ahead,” said Parkes in his BBC online column.
🗞 George Kruis will depart Saracens at the end of the season.
Thank you for the memories, @GeorgeKruis 🙌 #TogetherSaracens ⚫️🔴 | #ThankYouKruiso
— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) May 25, 2020
Welsh rules mean someone playing outside Wales can only be selected for the national team if he has already won 60 caps or is uncapped. Parkes has won 29.
Former Saracen Kruis, on the other hand, refused to see the move to Japan as calling time on his international career.
“I would like to think there is plenty left in the legs and this is definitely not an England retirement,” he told British media.
Kruis and Parkes are following the well-trodden route of a short spell in Japan towards the end of their careers – a path taken by some of the legends of the game.
— Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) May 25, 2020
Former All Blacks flyhalf Dan Carter was perhaps the highest profile of these, recently announcing he was leaving the Kobelco Steelers after taking them to the 2018-19 Top League title.
The next Japanese Top League season is slated to begin in January after the coronavirus forced the cancellation of the 2020 edition.
The Panasonic Wild Knights, coached by former Wallabies coach Robbie Deans, won three straight Top League titles from 2014-2016.
