Geoff Parling

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Geoff Parling
Parling playing for Leicester Tigers in 2012
Birth nameGeoff Parling
Date of birth (1983-10-28) 28 October 1983 (age 41)
Place of birthStockton-on-Tees, England
Height1.99 m (6 ft 6 in)
Weight117 kg (18 st 6 lb)[1]
SchoolIan Ramsey C of E School and Durham School
UniversityNewcastle University
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Lock
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2003–2009 Newcastle Falcons 116 (40)
2009–2015 Leicester Tigers 93 (15)
2015–2017 Exeter Chiefs 50 (5)
2017–2018 Munakata Sanix Blues 12 (0)
2018 Melbourne Rebels 11 (0)
2003–2018 Total 282 (60)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012–2015 England 29 (5)
2013 British & Irish Lions 3 (0)
Coaching career
Years Team
2020—2025 Australia (Forwards Coach)
2025– Leicester Tigers (Head Coach)

Geoff Parling (born 28 October 1983) is an English

lock
.

Parling played for Newcastle Falcons, Leicester Tigers and Exeter Chiefs in Premiership Rugby, he won three English titles as a player, two with Leicester in 2010 and 2013 then again with Exeter in 2017. He played in Japan for Munakata Sanix Blues and for Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby. He won 29 caps for England, appearing at the 2015 Rugby World Cup and won three caps for the British & Irish Lions on the 2013 tour to Australia.

After retiring from playing Parling worked as a forwards coach, including for the Australia national team.

On 12 May 2025 he was appointed as Leicester Tigers head coach for the start of the

2025-26 Premiership Rugby
season.

Early life and education

Parling was born in Stockton-on-Tees, England. He studied business and economics at Newcastle University.[2]

Rugby playing career

Junior level

Parling represented England at Under 16s, Under 18s, Under 19s, and Under 21 level.[3]

Club level

After university Parling began his club career at Newcastle Falcons. Parling became a first team regular in the

2005–06 season, winning the players' player of the year award.[4] Parling captained Newcastle on several occasions during the 2006–07 season.[5]
He was the runner-up for the Gatorade Performance of the Guinness Premiership Season 2008–09.

Parling signed a contract to play for Leicester Tigers for the 2009/10 season.[6]

Parling's debut for

Heineken Cup clash with Benetton Treviso. He also played in the Friendly match against South Africa, which the Tigers won 22–17.[7]

Injuries to other Tigers players helped him to hold down a starting berth at lock, and the Tigers topped the table. They went on to win the

2009–10 Guinness Premiership final 33–27 against Saracens.[8] Parling stole a vital line-out in the final minute of the game, which was right on the Tigers' try-line. He was voted Newcomer of the Year by Tigers supporters.[9]

Parling won a second Premiership title in 2013, this time defeating Northampton Saints in the final.[10]

On 29 January 2015, it was announced Parling had signed for Exeter Chiefs on a two-year deal.[11] He started the final as Exeter Chiefs defeated Wasps to be crowned champions of the 2016–17 English Premiership.[12]

International level

Parling was added to the revised

England Saxons squad as cover for Nick Kennedy on 25 January 2010.[13] He played in the wins against Ireland A and Italy A.[14][15] Parling was selected in the 44-man England squad to tour Australia in June 2010, and played in the first game against the Australian Barbarians,[16] though missed out on selection for the second as a result of a neck injury.[17]

In January 2012, Parling was called up to the England senior squad in preparation for their Six Nations campaign as an injury replacement for Louis Deacon. He earned two caps off the bench before starting at lock against Wales, in a tightly fought loss. His good performance (particularly at the line-out) saw him retained at lock for the following wins against France and Ireland, where he put in even better performances which saw him run the offensive and defensive line-outs well. He finished the tournament as the first-choice lock, ahead of Tom Palmer.

In April 2013, Parling was selected for the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia. He played in each Test, coming on as a replacement in the first Test and starting in the second and third. He also captained one of the tour games.[18]

Playing honours

Leicester

2x

2013

Exeter

1x Gallagher Premiership: 2017

Lions

1x Test Series: 2013

International tries

Try Opposing team Location Venue Competition Date Result
1  Scotland London, England Twickenham 2013 Six Nations Championship 2 February 2013 Won

Super Rugby statistics

As of 15 July 2018[19]
Season Team Games Starts Sub Mins Tries Cons Pens Drops Points Yel Red
2018 Rebels 11 6 5 467 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 11 6 5 467 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Rugby coaching career

After retirement from playing in 2018 Parling became lineout coach for the Melbourne Rebels.

In September 2020 Parling was appointed as Australia's forward coach in Dave Rennie's new coaching team.[20]

In May 2025 Parling was announced as the new head coach of Leicester Tigers on what was described as a long term deal.[21]

Personal life

Parling is married with three children.[22]

References

  1. ^ "Leicester Tigers: The Team". Leicester Tigers website. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  2. ^ https://www.rugbypass.com/plus/an-englishman-abroad/
  3. ^ "Wales U21 19–26 England U21". BBC. 27 June 2004. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  4. ^ "Newcastle profile". Newcastle Falcons Official site. 25 April 2009. Archived from the original on 19 October 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  5. ^ "Petrarca Padova 6 Newcastle Falcons 50". Newcastle Falcons Official site. 21 January 2007. Archived from the original on 30 March 2010. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  6. ^ "Allen and Parling sign for Tigers". BBC. 24 July 2009. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  7. ^ "Leicester 22–17 South Africa". BBC Sport. 6 November 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  8. ^ "Leicester 33-27 Saracens". 29 May 2010.
  9. ^ "Hamilton named Supporters' Player of the Season". Leicester Tigers website. 4 May 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  10. ^ "Aviva Premiership final: Leicester 37-17 Northampton". BBC. 25 May 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  11. ^ "Geoff Parling: Exeter Chiefs to sign Leicester Tigers lock". BBC Sport. 29 January 2015.
  12. ^ "Premiership final: Wasps 20-23 Exeter Chiefs (aet)". BBC. 27 May 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  13. ^ "England Saxons EPS Update". RFU Official site. 25 January 2010. Archived from the original on 29 January 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  14. ^ "England Saxons 17–13 Ireland A". BBC Sport. 31 January 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  15. ^ "Leicester Tigers star handed England Saxons start". Leicester Mercury online. 4 February 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  16. ^ "Aussie Barbarians 28-28 England". 8 June 2010.
  17. ^ "Tiger Parling missed England match through injury". Leicester Mercury online. 15 June 2010. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  18. ^ https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/british-irish-lions-tour-2013-4701581
  19. ^ "Player Statistics". It's Rugby.
  20. ^ "Geoff Parling: Australia hire ex-England lock as coach". BBC Sport. 18 September 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  21. ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c2e37mzvgdno
  22. ^ https://www.rugbypass.com/plus/an-englishman-abroad/
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