Sheffield second-row Dominic Parsons marked his 200th club appearance with a dramatic derby victory over their crosstown rivals Sheffield Tigers last weekend.
The 34-year-old went the full 80 as his side beat their noisy neighbours 32-28, courtesy of former Coventry and Newcastle Falcons back-row Ryan Burrows’ 72nd-minute winner.
Derby matches tend to be scrappy, tense affairs with local pride riding on them, and Parsons says that this contest was no different.
He said: “I felt we should have pulled away at various points and didn’t. There were a few 50-50 decisions that went against us and some setpiece problems, but eventually we managed to creep over the line.
“You’re always relieved to win them, but derbies are never the best games, they never flow like a typical game. With it being my 200th game it was important we won because I didn’t want to remember it for being a loss.
“We went 19-3 up and were dominating with our attack, we looked sharp and they didn’t seem like they could live with us. We gave them a bit of a foothold back into the game towards halftime just with a bit of ill discipline which gave Mark Ireland the chance to put them in the right places.
“I was proud of the resilience to overcome the fact we’d given away quite a big lead and managing to overturn it with Buzz (Ryan Burrows) going over from a strong scrum by the pack. You’re never safe in a derby game, it doesn’t matter how much you go ahead, you know they are going to have their patch.”
It takes just five minutes to drive from one club to the other and Parsons, who lives smack bang in the middle of the two, says it’s more of a friendly rivalry than it has been in the past.
Sheffield Tigers came into the match having drawn with pre-season title favourites Fylde, while Parsons’ outfit side Leeds Tykes on the opening day of the season, and he says the two sides’ fast start to the season shows the high quality rugby in the city.
He said: “It’s historically been a football city and I think it always will be, but we’ve got two really strong clubs. They are a dangerous team, they’ve got hefty ball carriers, a 10 that can guide them around the pitch, so you’re always wary of them.”
Hefty forward Parsons is 6 ft 8inch and 18st 7lbs and admits he’s endured a shady disciplinary record in his nine seasons at Sheffield.
He added: “I’ve always had a strained relationship with referees.
“I’ve settled down in my old age and had one lengthy ban for 12 games in one season. Other than that, I’ve cleared my name on two occasions including a red card last year against Wharfedale where I managed to prove my innocence at the tribunal. I’m yet to be fully caught out.”
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