Parkes made his provincial debut in 2010 for Manawatu. In 2011, he relocated to Auckland and in 2012 made his debut with the Blues.[1]
After one season with the Blues, he joined the Southern Kings for the 2013 season on a one-year contract.[2][3] After being an unused substitute in the Southern Kings' first ever game against the Force,[4] he did make his debut for them by coming off the bench in their second game of the season against the Sharks[5] and then started in their next three games. However, he suffered a broken arm in the Kings' match against the Hurricanes in Wellington[6] and was out of action for more than three months.[7] He made his return for the final match of the season, starting as a winger against the Sharks.[8] He also played in both 2013 Super Rugby promotion/relegation matches, failing to help the Kings retain their Super Rugby status.
He made his first of two appearances in the South African domestic Currie Cup competition in the opening fixture of the
2013 Currie Cup First Division season, when he started the match against the Pumas.[9]
He returned to New Zealand after the Super Rugby promotion/relegation matches to captain Auckland in the 2013 ITM Cup.[10]
After the end of the 2014 ITM Cup season, Parkes moved to the Scarlets, one of the four professional Welsh regional teams.[11] He was reunited with former Auckland head coach Wayne Pivac at the West Wales region.
Parkes made his debut off the bench in a European Rugby Champions Cup match against Ulster. His first start came two weeks later in the West Wales derby against the Ospreys. Parkes scored his first Scarlets try against Munster, and he was also awarded man of the match for his performance in that game.[12] Then in 2016/2017 season he and the Scarlets won the Pro14 title with a win over Munster. That earned him a permanent place at centre for the Scarlets.
His good form at the start of the 2017/2018 season earned him his first Wales cap under the 3-year residence rule. He played a huge part in Scarlets coming 1st in the Pro14 and reaching the final losing to Leinster who they also lost to in the Champions Cup semi finals which Leinster won. Despite Wales having big success in 2018/2019, the Scarlets struggled and came 4th missing out on a Pro14 play off spots and missing out on the Champions Cup for the first time in years. Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac departed for Wales with fellow New Zealander Brad Mooar coming in but Parkes and his fellow Wales teammates have not played much of the 2019/2020 because of 2019 World Cup and 2020 Six Nations.
In April 2020, Parkes left the Scarlets to join Japanese team Panasonic Wild Knights, which would end his Wales and Scarlets career.[13] He played two seasons for Panasonic Wild Knights and then two more with Black Rams Tokyo.[14]
In August 2024 Parkes rejoined the Manawatu Turbos for the 2024 Bunnings NPC.[15]
