Sergio Parisse facts for kids
Parisse in 2014
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| Birth name | Sergio Francesco Parisse | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 12 September 1983 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | La Plata, Argentina | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 113 kg (17 st 11 lb; 249 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sergio Francesco Parisse (born 12 September 1983) is a famous Italian rugby union player who has now retired from playing. He is currently a coach for the French rugby club Toulon. Sergio played for the Italian national team from 2002 until the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
He is Italy's most experienced player, having played in more international matches than anyone else for his country. He is also one of the top four most-capped rugby players in history! Many people think Sergio Parisse is one of the best "number eight" players ever. He is also considered the greatest Italian rugby player of all time. He holds a special record for playing in five different Rugby World Cup tournaments.
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Early Life and Family
Sergio Parisse was born in La Plata, Argentina. His parents were Italian, and his father, also named Sergio, was a rugby player too. His dad won the Italian club championship in 1967.
Sergio's family spoke Italian at home. Every year, they would go on holiday to Italy. This helped him stay connected to his Italian roots.
Rugby Career
Sergio Parisse started playing rugby in Argentina. He played for junior teams and then for his first senior team, Club Universitario de La Plata.
In 2003, Sergio moved to Italy to become a professional rugby player. He joined Benetton Treviso and played there for four years. In 2005, he moved to Stade Français in Paris, France. He had a very successful time with Stade Français, playing for 14 seasons and winning two French Top 14 titles.
In 2019, Sergio left Stade Français after some disagreements with the coaches. Even though some thought he might go back to Treviso, he decided to join another French club, Toulon.
International Rugby
Sergio Parisse could have chosen to play for Argentina, where he was born, or Italy, where his parents were from. When he was just 17, he played for Italy's Under-20 team. Argentine coaches tried to convince him to play for Argentina, but Sergio always wanted to play for Italy. He said it was a dream to play for his family and culture.
Sergio made his first full international appearance for the Italian national team in June 2002. He was only 18 years old when he played against New Zealand.
He played very well in the 2007 Rugby World Cup, even though Italy did not get past the first stage. Sergio continued his great form into the 2008 Six Nations Championship. He played his 50th match for Italy against England in 2008 when he was just 24.
Sergio became the captain of the Italian team in 2008. In September 2008, he was nominated for the IRB International Player of the Year award. This was a huge honor, as he was the first Italian player to be nominated. He was nominated again in 2013.
Sergio captained Italy in the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. Italy won two games but did not qualify for the next round. He scored two tries in that tournament.
He also captained Italy in the 2012 Six Nations Championship and the 2013 Six Nations Championship. In 2013, Italy had a great start by beating France for only the second time ever, with Sergio scoring a try. Later in the 2013 championship, Italy made history by beating Ireland for the first time ever in the tournament. This made it one of Italy's most successful Six Nations campaigns.
Retirement Plans
Sergio Parisse had planned to stop playing international rugby after the 2019 Rugby World Cup. However, his last match against New Zealand was canceled because of a typhoon. So, he decided to postpone his retirement.
He then announced he would retire after the 2020 Six Nations Championship, hoping to play one last time in front of his home crowd in Rome. But that match was also canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sergio postponed his retirement again. He later said he would stay in touch with the Italian coach to see if he could play in the 2021 Six Nations Championship to officially retire.
Personal Life
Sergio Parisse enjoys skiing, but he became more careful after a teammate broke his leg while skiing.
He speaks several languages: Italian, Spanish, French, and English.
How He Played
Sergio Parisse was known for being a very strong and skilled player. He was great at running with the ball, passing it to teammates, and understanding the game. He was a powerful runner, very athletic, and always committed to his team. He was also good at winning the ball in the air during line-outs and was strong in defense.
His teammates and opponents often praised his skills. Tom Palmer, an English player, said Sergio was "a high-quality player, a very good and powerful athlete, who combines that with being very skilful." Paul O'Connell, an Irish rugby legend, also said Sergio could "do it all" on the field, from catching high balls to making turnovers.
Legacy and Achievements
Sergio Parisse is admired for keeping his high level of play even when the Italian team was not winning many games. He said he was always proud to play for Italy, even with more losses than wins. He believed his job as captain was to set an example and keep pushing forward, even after defeats.
- He played in 142 international matches.
- He played in five Rugby World Cups (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019). Only two other players have achieved this!
- He has played in 69 Six Nations matches, which is more than any other player.
- He is the third most-capped international rugby player in the world.
- He was nominated twice for the prestigious World Rugby Player of the Year award. He is the only Italian player to have ever been nominated.
- In 2024, Sergio became the first Italian player to be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
The Italian coach, Franco Smith, once said that you cannot truly replace a player like Sergio Parisse. He said Sergio is "one of a kind" and has been a shining example for Italian rugby for a long time.
Honours
- National Championship of Excellence
- Champions Treviso: 2002–03, 2003–04
- Coppa Italia
- Champions Treviso: 2004–05
- French Top 14
- Champions Stade Français: 2006–07, 2014–15
- European Challenge Cup
- Champions Stade Français: 2016–17
- Champions RC Toulon: 2022–23
- Runners-up (2) 2010–11, 2012–13
- World Rugby Hall of Fame
- Inductee 169: 2024
See also
In Spanish: Sergio Parisse para niños
