Italy captain Sergio Parisse could not hide his delight on Tuesday at the prospect of returning to his old club, Treviso, in the European Rugby Champions Cup on Saturday.
The 32-year-old, who is also the Stade Francais captain, is to take the French Top 14 champions to the north of Italy for their second Pool 4 match.
The Argentine-born Italy legend cannot wait to lineup again in the stadium he graced for two seasons before he caught the attention of the Parisian giants in 2005.
Photo: Reuters
“It is my old club. I know a lot of their players, who I play with regularly for Italy,” Parisse said. “Since I left Treviso, it is the first time I am going to go back to play against my old team.”
“It is going to be good to see friends in a town in which I spent my youth and where I enjoyed a lot of fantastic moments. It is going to be great. I know they are a team that, technically, are definitely not at our level, but which, in terms of spirit and commitment, will be present. They will not give an inch,” he added.
Treviso are traditionally the competition’s whipping boys, having won just five matches over the past 10 years in the tournament, but Stade Francais come into this match struggling in their domestic league.
They sit fourth from bottom of the Top 14, with just four wins from 10 matches, and were beaten 24-21 at home by Bordeaux-Begles on Saturday. They also lost their only European game so far 33-20 away at Leicester.
“I am not annoyed, but I cannot be satisfied with the results,” Parisse said. “We are in a difficult situation in the Top 14 and we had a difficult start to the season in the Champions Cup.”
“Obviously there is frustration. We know that we are not playing our best at the moment, but I always try to take responsibility, to question myself personally before demanding anything of others,” he added.
“Anyone who knows me, knows that I am always positive. Our aims this season remain the same: making the top six in the Top 14 and getting out of this pool in the Champions Cup,” he said.
Stade Francais are seeking to launch their European campaign with back-to-back wins over the Italian outfit these next two weekends before a home encounter with Irish heavyweights Munster next month, which is to provide a certain indication as to their chances of advancing from the group.
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