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Sergio Parisse played impressive rugby today for Italy who dominated Russia in a RWC 2019 warm-up fixture. Played in San Benedetto del Tranto the Italians played their best rugby of the year in an 85-15 victory.
With the goal of RWC 2019 for Italy being to advance from the group stage for the first time today’s result gives them a launchpad to move forward. Italy are to complete in Pool B in Japan, doing so against Canada, Namibia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
The performance today implies that both Canada, and Namibia face highly difficult tasks if they are to be genuinely competitive against Italy.
Italy still have two further RWC warm-up matches. The first of which will be played on August 30 against France in Paris while the second will be in Newcastle, England on September 06.
The southern Europeans begin their RWC 2019 campaign against Namibia in Osaka on September 22. Four days later they face Canada in Fukuoka.
For captain Parisse the tournament will be his 5th Rugby World Cup. In appearing he will equal the all-time record of tournament appearances currently held by Samoa’s Brian Lima. Parisse has been playing for Italy since the age of 19. He moved from Argentina to Italy aged 17.
