The other side of Parisse
June 17, 2009 - 1:42pm
Story by: ARU
If there’s anybody in the world of Rugby who knows what it takes to make it in the bump and grind of the forward pack at the top level – it’s former Qantas Wallabies assistant coach and Waratahs head coach Ewen McKenzie.
He was Australia’s most capped ever Test prop until he was overtaken by his fellow New South Welshmen, Al Baxter, last year.
And during his reign as Waratahs coach from 2004-2008, the man fondly known as “Link”, built the NSW pack in to the toughest and most respected in the Super 14. Not to mention taking the Tahs to two Super 14 finals.
He worked with, and in large part brought to fruition, loose forward talents of the calibre of Rocky Elsom, Wycliff Palu and of course recent Barbarians captain, Phil Waugh. So when McKenzie rates someone’s ability – you tend to listen.
"Sergio Parisse is one of the best loose forwards playing in Europe” says McKenzie, who coaches the Italian captain at Stade Francais, along with former Aussie leaguie, Mark Gasnier.
And McKenzie doesn’t stop there.
"It’s hard to imagine with his athleticism, size and ability in general play that if he had come through the structures in Australia or New Zealand he wouldn’t now be playing for the Wallabies or All Blacks.”
Watch out Rodney So’oialo and Richard Brown.
For a man not famous for his effusive praise – these are big words indeed.
But Rugby in Parisse’s blood. Born in La Plata, Argentina , his father, Sergio senior, was a winger for L'Aquila in Italy before moving to La Plata, where Sergio junior was born.
Parisse played for ten years in La Plata, then in a very good stroke of fortune for Italian Rugby, and a very poor one for the game in Argentina, in 2001 (aged just 17) he re-located to the country of his father’s birth.
That same year he played for the Italian Under 19 team in the IRB U19 World Cup in Chile.
He developed his numerous talents further at the famous Treviso club and by June 2002 he was already Italy’s No.8.
The phrase “baptism of fire” doesn’t quite cover Parisse’s first Test experience. At the age of 18 years and 269 days (just 103 days older than James O’Connor when he made his Test debut against Italy) he faced up to the All Blacks at Hamilton in New Zealand.
The Azzurri were trounced 64-10 but Parisse was one of the few bright spots that day and a long Test career beckoned.
In 2005 he was snapped up by Stade Français, where he joined the Bergamasco brothers, Mirco and Mauro, already Azzurri regulars, and his new club’s faith was rewarded soon after when just a season later, 2006-07, he was prominent as the “pink Parisiens” claimed the French Top14 title.
It was a matter of time before he was elevated to the Italian captaincy and at the start of 2008 he was handed the honor of leading the Azzurri into the 6 Nations. He has been Italy's leader ever since.
Such were his performances at club and country level that year he was nominated for the IRB Player of the Year, the first Italian player to ever be nominated for that honour.
Then in the 2009 6 Nations, despite the fact Italy finished the tournament winless, Parisse just missed out by a few votes to Brian O'Driscoll on the Player of the Tournament award.
And now Parisse faces his latest (and perhaps greatest) challenge – leading a young Italian team on the “tour from hell” – two Tests against Robbie Deans Qantas Wallabies before heading across the ditch to face the All Blacks in Christchurch.
But Parisse, as always in his career, is far from daunted, grappling the challenge with both hands. Asked to name five qualities of his team he is quick to answer.
“As the captain I am very happy to have new young players who give new life to the team” he starts, “already we are very competitive. Our defence is good, we have a strong scrum and speed in the outside backs. And our lineouts are also good.”
Then he adds with a smile: “And our quick recovery over jet lag! We also have a number of players use to the Australian experience.”
Among these is former league star Craig Gower. Parisse has played the former Penrith Panther enough in the Top14 to rate his abilities highly.
“He has superb experience in the French championship” says Parisse, “perhaps he is too eager at first however he can bring a lot to the team and I have no doubt he will perform extremely well on this tour.”
And McKenzie has a final word of warning about Parisse himself.
“Sergio’s a pretty good package but there’s still work to do He’s going to get better.”
It’s hard to imagine how the Azzurri captain could get better, but at the age of just 25, he still has plenty of time.
A STAR OFF THE FIELD AND ON
The mere fact that an Italian is captaining one of the great clubs of France says much about the leadership qualities of Sergio Parisse.
And Parisse is not just winning exploits on the field. The player voted the “Sexiest Man” at the 2003 Rugby World Cup is becoming something of a style icon in the French capital and is being courted by fashion labels as stylish as Dolce and Gabana.
And as the Azzurri media guide attests, he is currently dating Miss France 2006 and Miss Europe 2006 Alexandra Rosenfeld, who is a regular fixture at Stade Francais matches.
Local TV producers are always quick to locate where she is sitting on game day, so they can cut away to the beauty queen during stoppages.
As glamour couples go, even in the most glamorous of cities, they don’t come much more glamorous than Mr Italian Rugby and Miss France.
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Suzy Hunt
