Italy

Parisse to Lead Italy against South Africa

Sergio Parisse will lead Italy against South Africa in Florence on Saturday. Head Coach Conor O’Shea has retained the Argentine No 8 who will lead a team featuring four changes. Winger Angelo Esposito makes way for Giovanbattista Venditti. Esposito has been dropped from the 23 altogether. In the forwards Francesco …

Read More »

Parisse Captains New-Look Italy

sergio parisse italy azzurri canada rugby world cup americas rugby news

Italian Head Coach Conor O’Shea has named his team for Saturday’s home international against New Zealand. The Irishman has named Argentine born Sergio Parisse as captain. The La Plata native did not play in June, instead resting. Parisse will lead the Azzuri from No 8. He is to be one …

Read More »

Americas Players in Top 14 – Week 9

It’s back to regularly scheduled programming as the Top 14 resumes with Week 9 on Saturday. Clermont is leading the pack but La Rochelle are hot on their heels and only marginally behind them are Montpellier, Toulon, and Bordeaux. This week will see about a dozen Americas players scattered about …

Read More »

The Importance of Creating Rivalries

Through international competition rugby has expanded significantly. Over the duration of one generation there have emerged increasingly competitive teams from a variety of continents. Indeed Argentina, Japan and Georgia all lit up Rugby World Cup 2015. Yet many facets of rugby being an Old Boy’s Club remain strong. Few leading …

Read More »

Parisse returns to Italy squad

sergio parisse italy azzurri canada rugby world cup americas rugby news

Sergio Parisse is back in the Italian squad ahead of the November test series. The Argentine-born Azzurri captain did not accompany new coach Conor O’Shea on Italy’s tour to the Americas in June, opting instead to rest with his workload being carefully managed in order to prolong his international career …

Read More »

Identifying Potential Rugby World Cup Hosts

Japan 2019 will be the ninth Rugby World Cup. It will be the first of a kind though as Asia and the Tier 2 both have their first opportunity. Where to from there? The answer is France, Ireland, or South Africa. The three options for 2023 are a return to …

Read More »

Fukofuka in Tongan squad for November

San Francisco Rush standout Bill Fukofuka has been selected to the Tongan national side for their November test series. Now returned to the Southland Stags in the Mitre 10 Cup, the 21-year-old loose forward is one of 10 uncapped players named in the 30-strong group by head coach Toutai Kefu. …

Read More »