My Life in Rugby: Sonny Parker – former Wales centre

I am where I am today because of Graham Henry and we still keep in regular contact – after all he’s the reason I ended up playing for Wales.
Growing up in New Zealand I started getting in to rugby when I saw the 1987 World Cup-winning side and was playing in Waikato when I got a college scholarship to play in Auckland.
I met Graham up there and he was really my mentor. I got a contract in the NPC but then I broke my tibia in my left leg.
There are always so many players coming through that I knew it would be tough to get back to where I was and Graham told me to go over to Italy for a year.
I’d always been quite keen to travel, so I went to Viadana for a season and absolutely loved it.
Graham then got the job with Wales and told me that I should come over and join him so I moved to Pontypridd.
We had a very young squad with people like Rob Sidoli, Richard Parkes, Ceri Sweeney and Gareth Wyatt but I don’t think we lost a game until the end of the year.
In 2002 Graham had gone back to New Zealand but Steve Hansen asked if I wanted to play for Wales.
I didn’t have to think twice. International rugby is the pinnacle and I’d loved my time in Wales.
I made my debut in 2002 and then was part of the squad for the 2003 World Cup. It was one of those defining moments for Welsh rugby and one of the highlights for me to be involved in.
The group game against New Zealand was brilliant. I played injured but we really went for it, and I think it ended up being the match that made Shane Williams.
Coming back from there rugby went professional and I joined the Celtic Warriors but a week before the end of the season we were told that the Warriors were folding and that we didn’t have jobs for the next season, it was pretty disgusting the way it was handled.
I was with Wales in Argentina when they had a meeting with all the players, it was a bit like a draft with the players there and the coaches from the other regions.
I didn’t know if I wanted to stay in Wales, but Huw Bennett, who I’d roomed with at the World Cup, along with a couple of the others, convinced me to come to the Ospreys.
We had some great times, with the two Anglo-Welsh Cup finals, the Magners and the Rabo wins, but the highlight for me was beating the touring Australians.
I was still involved with Wales, although I didn’t play in the 2005 Grand Slam, Tom Shanklin getting the nod over me.
I went to the 2007 World Cup in France, a really tough time for us, but then it was good to be part of that transition when Warren Gatland came in 2008.
That first game against England we had 13 Ospreys in the team and we won at Twickenham for the first time in ages.
Unfortunately I didn’t play well and it was no surprise I lost my spot. I got off the bench a couple more times, though, and it was an incredible celebration after the final game.
Last summer I moved to London Welsh to join Lyn Jones and had a great year with them. I’m carrying on again next year in the Championship and can’t wait for it.