It’s time you gave us a bit of respect!
Parisse tells critics Italy deserve their place in the tournament...
SERGIO PARISSE has been here before. As Italy’s talisman and greatest player of all time, the 33-year-old, 123-Test veteran who many believe is the greatest No8 of all time, has known tough times, dark days, bleak outlooks.
Having shipped 96 points in their opening two Six Nations games — including the 63-10 defeat by Ireland a fortnight ago — the calls for Italy to be banished from the tournament in favour of Georgia have grown louder and louder.
The gulf in class has appeared so vast between the Italians and their Welsh and Irish opposition, it is easy to forget that only last November Conor O’Shea’s men put an admittedly poor South Africa to the sword for the first time in history.
‘Unfortunately I’ve been in this position with Italy a lot of times,’ said Parisse. ‘I’ve got experience of difficult moments. I know how you need to react to these situations and Conor is determined we don’t lose hope or belief in the strength of the squad. There’s lots of negative talk around but myself and Conor are both really focused on the game. We’ve had a long week to get ready. We’re ready and motivated to face England.
‘I hope we have the respect of people in rugby. Sometimes people forget how Italy has done in the past. Every time it feels like we are judged only on our last result. When we beat South Africa last November everyone was saying, “Awesome Italy, awesome Conor O’Shea” and now we play the first matches of the Six Nations and people are asking why we are allowed to play in the Six Nations.’
Only Brian O’Driscoll has made more Six Nations starts than Parisse. No player has carried the ball more often or further in the history of the tournament than the Stade Francais star, who has maintained his high standards despite playing in an Italian side who lose three times as many games as they win.
With just nine victories in 57 Tests as captain, Parisse’s captaincy record, at least on paper, is not good. But anyone who has charted his progress since he first graced an international rugby field as a teenager 15 years ago would surely acknowledge Parisse’s impact as a leader, player and motivator for his team-mates.
At Twickenham today, he will once again be Italy’s main man as they look to pick themselves up from those defeats.
‘It’s important for me to set the example for the rest of my team because, from an emotional point of view, they expect me to be really motivated and sharp in every training session and in every match,’ he said.
‘I tell my team-mates, every player must have dreams. In my career I’ve played a lot of Tests and it was my dream to one day beat one of the southern hemisphere’s big teams. People thought it was ridiculous and impossible but in November my dream came true when we beat South Africa.
‘England is the only team in the Six Nations we have never beaten. Nothing we have done going into this game suggests we are going to get the result we want but if you stop dreaming, you stop believing.
‘You need to dream every day and use that to ensure you train better, work harder. You never know. I’m not saying we are going to win at Twickenham but if we play 80 minutes of our best rugby then who knows? Maybe it will be enough.
‘The pressure is all on England’s shoulders. If they don’t win with a bonus point against Italy at home then it will be viewed as a frustrating and bad result.’
Frustrated by Italy’s stalling progress under former coach same joy now of pulling on the Italian jersey and being captain of the team as I ever have. I won’t put limits on my career or my international career.’
In the short term, his primary objective is to cause an upset of spectacular proportions today at Twickenham, where Italy rattled England four years ago before eventually losing 18-11.
With France and Scotland still to play, Parisse still believes his team can finish the tournament strongly and silence the clamour to dump them from the Six Nations, 17 years after they were Jacques Brunel, Parisse was on the brink of retiring from international rugby and signing a lucrative deal in Japan last summer before O’Shea convinced him to carry on.
‘I’m enjoying playing and feel really well mentally and physically,’ said Parisse. ‘I want to finish the Six Nations well and I’m contracted with Stade Francais until 2020. I get the admitted. Nor does he see a future in extended it to seven teams. ‘If Italy had beaten Ireland or Wales in the last few games no one would be talking about a Seven Nations,’ he said.
‘Italy have put in a lot of effort in the last 10 years and really deserve to be part of the tournament. We know we must be more competitive and we’re working on that.’