Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Sport

Parisse to retire at Six Nations when Italy play in Rome

FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2019 - Pool B - South Africa v Italy - Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Shizuoka, Japan - October 4, 2019. Italy's Sergio Parisse reacts. REUTERS/Peter Cziborra

Italy's most-capped rugby player Sergio Parisse will get a chance to finish his 18-year career in front of his home fans at this year's Six Nations tournament when the Italians play Scotland and England at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

The loose forward, 36, was set to retire after Italy's World Cup campaign in Japan last year but was denied his chance to play a potential farewell match when Typhoon Hagibis forced the cancellation of their final pool game against New Zealand.

Parisse, who has been capped 142 times -- third in the all-time rankings behind All Blacks' great Richie McCaw (148) and Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones (143) -- said he would not play the entire Six Nations tournament after discussions with interim head coach Franco Smith.

"I told Smith my desire to end my international career in Rome in front of my family, my friends and our fans," Parisse told Corriere dello Sport.

"He agrees that I cannot end with that match cancelled by the typhoon. I will face Scotland, England or both, but I will certainly not play the entire Six Nations."

Italy begin their Six Nations campaign with a trip to Wales on Feb. 1 followed by a second away game in France a week later. Their first home game is against Scotland on Feb. 22 and they host England in their final game on March 14.

(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Chopra)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.