NOT many people get to be on the opposing end of a Samoan war cry, but that is one experience Jack Parrish won’t forget in his rugby league career.
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Parrish recently returned from a tour with the Country NSW under 18’s rugby league team where they faced Australian Samoa and Queensland seconds in two thrilling matches.
The team gathered at Potts Point on July 5 for training before flying to Brisbane the following day.
Here they faced the Queensland Samoan side, where they ended up victors 32-20.
The team then flew to Rock Hampton where they faced the Queensland seconds team.
In what can only be described as a thriller match, NSW Country ended up losing 28-24 after a try was disallowed in the last 30 seconds.
Despite the loss, Parrish said there were plenty of positives from the tour.
“It was good to just meet all the guys that I was away with,” he said.
“And it was a pretty good experience to face a war cry from the Samoan side, and just to beat them and have a good week away.”
This was not Parrish’s first Country selection.
He was called in to play in 2013 as a reserve.
“I was pretty surprised with the selection because I was not sure on how I was going to go but I got picked,” he said.
Earlier this year the Berry Magpies player was selected in the Greater Southern Stingrays, where he co-captained.
The Stingrays played in a championship in Wollongong where they lost their first game to the Northern Tigers and then beat Newcastle on the second day.
After the grand final the Country NSW side was named with Parrish on the bench as a second half or lock.
Parrish will continue to play for the Magpies’ under 18s side, which sit on top of the table.
“We have been playing well, we have only lost a couple of games. We could be doing a bit better but I am happy with how I am doing at the moment,” he said.
Parrish was modest about his future in the sport, with the year 12 student looking into a career as a rugby league development officer or PDHPE teacher.
“I just want to see where I go, see if I can get picked up by scouts but just mainly play and enjoy myself,” he said.