Simon Parker: 20 tackles on debut and a starter in each of his first eight Tests

When Scott Robertson named his Rugby Championship squad in August 2025, the only uncapped player in the main group was a 1.97m loose forward from Northland. "He's intimidating," the All Blacks coach said of Simon Parker. Less than three weeks later Parker started at No 8 in Buenos Aires, made 20 tackles on debut, and went on to start each of his first eight Tests. It was a long road from Mangawhai, through boarding school in Cambridge, several injury-hit seasons at the Chiefs and a return to his home province. This is his story.

Northland roots

Parker was born in Mangawhai, on the Northland coast, on 6 May 2000. The New Zealand Rugby History database lists Otamatea and Wellsford/Otamatea among his clubs, and he grew up watching provincial rugby at Okara Park in Whangārei. "Sitting on the bank at Okara Park and watching" Rene Ranger, the Northland All Black, was a highlight, he told 1News in 2025.

He also knows what it takes to come through from the north. "There is a geographical challenge to playing sport up here," he said, and he hoped his path would show young Northlanders "it can be done".

St Peter's, Cambridge

For his secondary schooling Parker went south to St Peter's School in Cambridge, where he boarded with Cam Roigard, who would become an All Blacks team-mate. He played for New Zealand schools sides in 2017 and 2018: the Chiefs' profile lists the New Zealand Schools Barbarians in 2017 and New Zealand Schools in 2018.

Waikato, the Under 20s and the Chiefs

In his first year out of school, 2019, Parker was picked for the New Zealand Under 20 side. He played seven games, three of them as the starting No 8, alongside future All Blacks including Leroy Carter, Quinn Tupaea, Samipeni Finau and Tupou Vaa'i. Later that year he made his NPC debut for Waikato and scored two tries in six games. His club is Hautapu, in Cambridge.

His Super Rugby debut came off the bench for the Chiefs against the Crusaders at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on 1 August 2020, in the No 20 jersey. It was Aaron Cruden's 100th Super Rugby game, and the Crusaders won 32-19.

Then came a frustrating stretch. Robertson later described "two or three back-to-back injuries" that stopped Parker finding his rhythm, and he played only seven Chiefs games across 2021, 2022 and 2023, none of them in 2022. He was a regular for Waikato again in 2023, with ten starts at No 8 in 11 games.

Home to Northland

The breakthrough came in 2024. Parker played 14 games for the Chiefs, most of them off the bench, and scored three tries. For the NPC he went home: he joined Northland, the Taniwha, and played nine games for them that season, scoring two tries.

That November he toured with the All Blacks XV and started at No 8 against Georgia at GGL Stadium in Montpellier on 10 November 2024, in a side captained by Du'Plessis Kirifi. The XV won 31-13.

By 2025 he was a regular in the Chiefs' starting side on the blindside or at No 8, competing with Luke Jacobson, Samipeni Finau and Wallace Sititi for a place. An ankle injury in the qualifying final against the Blues in June 2025 ruled him out of the rest of the play-offs, but Robertson noted that he "came straight back out in great condition" for Northland.

The call-up

Robertson named Parker in his squad for the 2025 Rugby Championship, and explained the choice in simple terms. "He's a big man, he's been incredibly consistent all year," the coach said, adding: "I just like his accuracy." He also noted that Parker's body had changed with regular rugby at the Chiefs.

Parker told 1News he "zoned out" when Robertson rang him with the news, and that his Northland team-mates, many of whom he grew up with, performed a haka for him. He has modelled his game on a famous All Blacks blindside. "I tried in a way to follow in the footsteps of Jerome Kaino," he said. "I love the contact side of the game."

Test debut in Buenos Aires

Parker was picked to start at No 8 for the second Test against Argentina at the Estadio José Amalfitani in Buenos Aires on 23 August 2025, the only change to the starting side, with Ardie Savea moving to openside. It was the same match in which Codie Taylor became the 14th All Black to play 100 Tests. "He's earned his selection through performance and consistency," Robertson said. "He's a big, physical man, and he's ready to make an impact."

Parker made 20 tackles, according to the NZ Rugby Museum's profile. Argentina won 29-23, their first home win over the All Blacks.

He moved to the blindside for the rest of the year and started every Test he played. In the first Test against South Africa at Eden Park on 6 September 2025, he was part of a 24-17 win. A week later, against the Springboks at Sky Stadium in Wellington on 13 September 2025, he and Savea combined on the right touchline in the build-up to Leroy Carter's debut try, a move Patrick McKendry of 1News described as a "neat little double act", though South Africa won 43-10.

He started both Bledisloe Cup wins over Australia, 33-24 at Eden Park on 27 September 2025 and 28-14 at Optus Stadium in Perth on 4 October 2025. On the northern tour he started the 26-13 win over Ireland at Soldier Field in Chicago on 1 November 2025, the 33-19 loss to England at Twickenham on 15 November 2025, and the 52-26 win over Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on 22 November 2025. That made eight Tests in his first season, all of them as a starter.

2026

In February 2026 Parker and Carter both re-signed with New Zealand Rugby and the Chiefs through to the end of 2028, and Parker also recommitted to Northland. It was "a bit of a no-brainer for me and my family", he said, adding that the family's roots were planted where they were. Chiefs head coach Jono Gibbes called the pair "outstanding team members who bring that special X-factor".

The Chiefs reached their fourth straight final, and Parker started at No 8 against the Hurricanes at Hnry Stadium in Wellington on 20 June 2026. The Hurricanes won 60-5. He finished the season with 50 games for the Chiefs.

Dave Rennie, the new All Blacks coach, named Parker in his first squad in June 2026, and he toured South Africa in August. In the opening match against the Stormers at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on 7 August 2026, Fabian Holland released him to score the try that gave the All Blacks a 14-7 half-time lead in a 38-21 win. He also played in the 50-19 win over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on 15 August 2026.

He came off the bench in the 33-16 first-Test win over South Africa at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on 22 August 2026, and started the second Test at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on 29 August 2026. South Africa won 33-26, but 1News described Parker as "busy and powerful".

That took him to ten Tests, nine of them as a starter, with six wins. New Zealand Rugby's records also count the two tour matches, for 12 All Blacks games and one try.

Style and standing

The word that keeps coming up is physical. Robertson called him "a big, physical man" and stressed his accuracy as much as his size. The Chiefs describe him as a physical loose forward with a direct style of play, and the NZ Rugby Museum's profile on allblacks.com calls him "a formidable loose forward" known for his physicality.

Parker's own description is simpler. He loves the contact side of the game, he says, and tries to get involved as much as he can.

Where he is now

Parker was unavailable for the All Blacks' northern tour for personal reasons. He is named in the Chiefs' 2027 squad, announced on 28 October 2026, and is contracted to the Chiefs, Northland and New Zealand Rugby until the end of 2028. The All Blacks, meanwhile, play Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday 8 November 2026 NZ time, then Wales in Cardiff and England at Allianz Stadium in London, before the Nations Championship Finals Weekend in London at the end of the month.

Career at a glance

Test figures are from RUGBE's match-by-match All Blacks data to 17 October 2026. Provincial figures are from the New Zealand Rugby History database to the end of 2025; Chiefs games from the club's 2027 squad announcement.