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Ben Parker
Tight-head Prop4
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103WonDrawnLost
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2nd XVBiography
Player Profile: Ben “BP” ParkerTighthead Prop • International Traveller • Occasional Posh Bloke
If you hear a refined accent rumbling through the Selby changing room, chances are it’s Ben Parker — or as the lads call him, BP, Benny, or occasionally “posh and gobby” if he’s been particularly chatty that night.
Ben’s rugby journey started back at Stratford upon Avon RFC in the minis — arguably the most Shakespearean beginning any prop has ever had. From there he played his way through senior school at Warwick, headed to Oxford Brookes for four years of “study,” and then somehow ended up travelling the world. He spent time in Australia and New Zealand, where he claims he learned a lot of rugby… though mainly he just learned that southern hemisphere coaches shout louder.
Eventually he resurfaced in Northumberland before landing at Selby in 2024, where the club has proudly added “slow, posh, gobby” to its playing roster.
Ben’s standout junior memory? Going unbeaten in the U15s, which he reminds people of far more often than necessary. And his pre-game routine is so structured it sounds like a morning at a boutique hotel:
Two coffees, a bagel with poached egg, ironing his No.1s, and a podcast — presumably something intellectual, though we can’t rule out true crime.
On the pitch, his favourite Selby memory is winning the Yorkshire Championship with the 2nd XV. Off the pitch, it’s bonding with Harry Clarke over a pint of Timothy Taylor’s Landlord — the moment a beautifully odd friendship was born.
Ben grew up wanting to be like Martin Castrogiovanni, which explains the hairstyle he tries (and fails) to grow. His favourite Selby teammate is, again, Harry Clarke — largely because Harry once told him to “just push straight” in a scrum, which somehow resulted in a penalty. Ben now believes Harry possesses secret front-row knowledge despite all evidence to the contrary.
If he could swap places with any teammate for a day, he’d choose Harry again, purely to squeeze out more of these so-called pearls of wisdom.
There are, however, people Ben avoids — specifically Jamie Dentith, who he refuses to partner with in tackle practice because “everything hurts.”
Fair.
His ideal post-training meal is Thursday Club Guinness, and his karaoke choice is Dragostea Din Tei by O-Zone — which tells you everything you need to know about his confidence levels.
He rates Harry Clarke as the biggest joker (don’t tell Harry, it’ll go straight to his head), and confirms that James Dugher ?? takes the longest to get ready. Ben trusts Will Fox to plan a night out — and also doesn’t trust him for the exact same reason.
Sam Broughton controls the changing room playlist, and Ben has no complaints.
Joe Styrin is his pick for future head coach, purely because the man has never lost anything, including his moustache.
If stranded on an island, Ben bets on Joey Reid to survive the longest because he “loves camping.” Practical.
His advice to younger players is classic prop wisdom:
Carry hard, push hard, tackle low.
He would’ve told his younger self the same, ideally before he experienced his first sore Monday morning.
Ben says the squad would describe him in three words:
Slow. Posh. Gobby.
The perfect front-row combination.
His favourite thing about Selby RUFC?
That no matter the result, the lads always have a laugh afterward — a big part of what made him feel welcomed when he moved to the area knowing nobody.
Being part of the Selby family means a lot to Ben. He’s made friends, memories, and probably consumed more Landlord than he’d ever admit publicly. And he’ll look back on his time here fondly — even if he spent most of it being told to “push straight” by a scrum-half.
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