Parisse plays down team dust-up
Italy captain Sergio Parisse insisted it was a good sign powerhouse prop Martin Castrogiovanni and reserve flyhalf Riccardo Bocchino had clashed during training ahead of the team’s make-or-break World Cup Pool C clash against Ireland.
“The positive sign is we are all tense before this game, and generally when we are tense like this we play very well,” Parisse told reporters after Castrogiovanni and Bocchino’s set-to during an Italy training session at the Otago Stadium on Saturday.
“Today [Saturday] at the captain’s run, as always, we had a little touch game. We always play forwards against backs and I don’t know why, until now, the forwards have always won.
“So today, before the game, I told the backs ‘try to beat us at least today’,” the No 8 added ahead of a match here on Sunday which will determine whether Italy or Ireland qualify for the World Cup quarterfinals.
“Between Castro and Bocchino, there was a little discussion, because Castro took the ball and Bocchino wanted to stop him.
“Castro, as everybody knows, is not the kind of guy who lets things go easily, but the positive thing is overall that Castro and Bocchino apologised in front of everybody at the end of the training session.
“Congratulations also to Ricky (Bocchino). Not everybody would have faced Castro,” Parisse added.
AFP
