Dan Parks will join the Cardiff Blues at the end of the current season

Former Wales scrum-half Robert Jones says new Cardiff Blues signing Dan Parks is "great news" for the squad.

"As far as [Blues boss] Dai Young is concerned he needed a 10. Dan Parks is... one of the better players out there to fill that role," Jones said.

"He is a player who knows how to control games. He's got a fantastic kicking game."

Scotland fly-half Parks, 31, will join the Blues at the end of the current season from Glasgow Warriors.

Blues director of rugby Young has faced fierce criticism since signing current number 10 Sam Norton-Knight.

The twice-capped Australian, 25, took over from Nicky Robinson, who left for Gloucester last summer.

Norton-Knight - who played most of his rugby at full-back for previous side the Waratahs - had a debut to forget against Edinburgh and has so far failed to convince that he is the man to fill the Blues' pivot role.

"I think it had to happen as far as the Blues are concerned. They've been looking for the past 12 months to fill the boots of Nicky Robinson," Jones said.

"Unfortunately, Sam Norton-Knight hasn't produced the goods and Dan Parks, what we see week in week out in the Magners League when he's behind a functional pack, he manages to make things happen.

"It's great news for the Blues, disappointment of course for Sam Norton-Knight that he hasn't hit the form or made the position his own."

The Blues, who are currently eighth in the Magners League, next face Edinburgh at Murrayfield on 9 January.

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