Parisse to play on until Japan 2019

Inspirational Italian captain Sergio Parisse is to play on until Japan 2019. The 32 year old has been playing international rugby since 2002 and has appeared in four Rugby World Cups to date. Should he play in the 2019 event in Japan he will join a select group of Samoa’s Brian Lima and his former Italian teammate Mauro Bergamasco in playing in five World Cups.

According to Midi Olympique the Italian number 8 has come to an agreement with the incoming Italian Head Coach Conor O’Shea. The arrangement will see the long-term Stade Français leader miss June tours in 2016, 2017 and 2019 as a way of prolonging his career.

Sources indicate that Parisse had been looking to retire from international rugby but the Argentine born and raised talisman is now entirely likely to break the existing World Record held by New Zealand’s Richie McCaw. To date Parisse has earned 118 test caps, 30 fewer than McCaw.

By playing November and Six Nations test matches between now and Japan 2019 Parisse could not only be the first player to pass the 150 mark but also go beyond 180 caps.

The UAR has previously referred to losing Parisse to Italy as being a motivating factor in preventing the loss of players abroad.