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Parisse – Italy task is impossible

Italy captain Sergio Parisse believes his side face an “impossible” mission against Grand Slam-chasing Wales.

Parisse says Italy were embarrasing at times in defeat by Ireland.

“We beat Wales in 2007 in Rome, but at this moment I can’t say that we really can beat Wales because they are playing fantastic rugby,” he told the BBC’s Sport Wales programme on Friday.

“Going to Cardiff to the Millennium Stadium against this team is probably something impossible for us.”

That leaves the Stade Francais number eight believing Italy’s toughest task of the tournament lies ahead even if Wales’ minds may already be drifting towards a possible Grand Slam clash against France a week later.

In the opening rounds Wales beat Ireland, Scotland and England to secure a Triple Crown while Italy came unstuck despite respectable battles against France and England before going down 42-10 in Dublin .

Parisse, who led the Barbarians to victory against Wales in Cardiff in June 2011, added: “Every time we go on the field we go out to win because we believe that we have the possibility to do it.

“But for sure, we must play the perfect match. Everyone must do [play] his best match of this year to beat Wales.

“But for me, probably, without doubt it’s [Wales] the best team at this moment in the competition.”

“Probably the staff and unconsciously even the players are thinking more about the match against France because probably it’s possible for them to… win the Grand Slam.

“But I think they respect us as a team and they know probably for sure we are not the best team in this competition.

“But if they don’t take the match seriously, probably we can put them under pressure.”

Italy also have a chance to redeem their defensive respect after the second-half drubbing in Dublin.

“Against Ireland we produced a good 40 minutes, but we were embarrassed in the second half,” Parisse told Friday’s Sport Wales programme.

“We have a big opportunity against probably the best attack of the Six Nations to improve our defence and we have worked a lot this week on it.

“We are a team that must play for the 80 minutes at a high level to have any possibility to beat teams at the end of a match.

“We are not the team who will score five or six tries.

“We are not the team who have 10 chances to score so when we have the possibility or three points or a penalty, or even score a try, we must take it.”

 

Coverage of this weekends 6 Nations

Saturday, 10 March

Wales v Italy BBC ONE, 1400-1630

John Inverdale presents live coverage from the Millennium Stadium as Wales and Italy kick off the penultimate weekend of this year’s Six Nations.
Warren Gatland’s side cruised to a comfortable victory against the Italians when the two sides met in Cardiff two years ago, thanks to tries from James Hook and Shane Williams. The visitors will start as underdogs again as they look to avoid finishing the competition with the wooden spoon.
Jeremy Guscott and Shane Williams are in the studio to offer their views on the game. Jonathan Davies joins Alastair Eykyn in the commentary box.

Ireland v Scotland BBC ONE, 1630-1900

Gabby Logan introduces live coverage from the Aviva Stadium as Ireland host Scotland.
The Scots will be looking for a repeat of two years ago when a last-gasp penalty gave them a dramatic victory in Dublin. But Ireland bounced back at Murrayfield last year, as 11 points from Ronan O’Gara helped them to a narrow win.
Keith Wood and Andy Nicol are in the studio to offer their opinions on the match. Commentary comes from Andrew Cotter, who is joined by Philip Matthews.

Sunday, 11 March

France v England BBC ONE, 1430-1700

John Inverdale presents live coverage from the Stade de France as France take on England.
New-look England, skippered by Chris Robshaw, are looking for revenge following last year’s World Cup quarter-final defeat at the hands of Les Bleus. But when these two last met in Paris two years ago, France secured a narrow 12-10 win to claim the Grand Slam.
Jeremy Guscott, Thomas Castaignede and Jonathan Davies, are on hand to offer their views on the action. Commentary comes from Eddie Butler and Brian Moore.

Welsh team Vs Italy individual stats

BACKS

15 Leigh HALFPENNY (CARDIFF BLUES)
DoB: 22.12.88. 5’10” / 1.77m. 13st 6lbs / 85kgs
International record: 30 caps (W 15, L 15; 119 pts – 11T, 5C, 18PG)
14 Alex CUTHBERT (CARDIFF BLUES)
DoB: 05.04.90. 6’6” / 1.98m. 16st 3lbs / 103kgs
International record: 4 caps (W 3, L 1; 5 pts – 1T)
13 Jonathan DAVIES (SCARLETS)
DoB: 05.04.88. 6’1” / 1.86m. 16st 8lb / 105kgs
International record: 24 caps (W 14, L 10; 35 pts – 7T)
12 Jamie ROBERTS (CARDIFF BLUES)
DoB: 08.11.86. 6’4” / 1.93m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 42 caps (W 21, L 21; 20 pts – 4T)
11 George NORTH (SCARLETS)
DoB: 13.04.92. 6’4” / 1.92m. 17st 3lbs / 109kgs
International record: 19 caps (W 9, L 9, D 1; 50 pts – 10T)
10 Rhys PRIESTLAND (SCARLETS)
DoB: 07.01.87 1.82m / 6’0”. 15st 0lbs / 95kgs
International record: 13 caps (W 9, L 4; 50 pts – 1T, 12C, 7PG)
9 Mike PHILLIPS (BAYONNE)
DoB: 29.08.82. 6’3” / 1.91m. 15st 10lb / 101kgs
International record: 63 caps (W 31, L 30, D 2; 40 pts – 8T)

FORWARDS

1 Gethin JENKINS (CARDIFF BLUES, CAPTAIN)
DoB: 17.11.80. 6’2” / 1.88m. 19st 1lb / 121kgs
International record: 85 caps (W 39, L 44, D 2; 20 pts – 4T)
2 Matthew REES (SCARLETS)
DoB: 09.12.80. 6’0” / 1.83m. 17st 1lbs / 108kgs
International record: 48 caps (W 20, L 27, D 1; 10 pts – 2T)
3 Adam JONES (OSPREYS)
DoB: 08.03.81. 6’0” / 1.83m. 19st 4lbs / 122kgs
International record: 78 caps (W 38, L 37, D 3; 10 pts – 2T)
4 Alun Wyn JONES (OSPREYS)
DoB: 19.09.85. 6’5” / 1.96m. 19st 4lbs / 122kgs
International record: 60 caps (W 26, L 34; 35 pts – 7T)
5 Ian EVANS (OSPREYS)
DoB: 04.10.84. 6’8” / 2.04m. 18st 3lbs / 116kgs
International record: 20 caps (W 9, L 10, D 1; 5 pts – 1T)
6 Dan LYDIATE (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS)
DoB: 18.12.87. 1.93m / 6’4”. 18st 0lbs / 114kgs
International record: 22 caps (W 10, L 11, D 1)
7 Justin TIPURIC (OSPREYS)
DoB: 06.08.89. 1.88m / 6’2” 15st 13lbs / 101kgs
International record: 3 caps (W 2, L 1)
8 Toby FALETAU (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS)
DoB: 12.11.90. 1.88m / 6’2”. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 14 caps (W 8, L 6; 10 pts – 2T)

REPLACEMENTS

16 Ken OWENS (SCARLETS)
DoB: 03.01.87. 6’1” / 1.86m. 17st 3lbs / 109kgs
International record: 3 caps (W 3)
17 Paul JAMES (OSPREYS)
DoB: 13.05.82. 6’1” / 1.86m. 18st 2lbs / 115kgs
International record: 33 caps (W 14, L 18, D 1)
18 Luke CHARTERIS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS)
DoB: 09.03.83. 6’9” / 2.06m. 19st 10lbs / 125kgs
International record: 32 caps (W 16, L 16)
19 Ryan JONES (OSPREYS)
DoB: 13.03.81. 6’5” / 1.96m. 17st 12lbs / 113kgs
International record: 61 caps (W 31, L 28, D 2; 5 pts – 1T)
20 Lloyd WILLIAMS (CARDIFF BLUES)
DoB: 30.11.89. 6’0” / 1.83m. 14st 1lb / 89kgs
International record: 6 caps (W 4, L 2; 10 pts – 2T)
21 James HOOK (PERPIGNAN)
DoB: 27.06.85. 6’0” / 1.83m. 15st 2lbs / 96kgs
International record: 61 caps (W 27, L 32, D 2; 326 pts – 12T, 40C, 58PG, 4DG)
22 Scott WILLIAMS (SCARLETS)
DoB: 10.10.90. 6’0” / 1.83m. 15st 13lbs / 101kgs
International record: 10 caps (W 6, L 4; 25 pts – 5T)

Celtic league looking for new sponsors

Magners have confirmed they will no longer back the Celtic League at the end of the season.

It will bring a 6 year association to an end after sponsoring the competition since 2005

“Magners will not be renewing their sponsorship of the Celtic rugby competition at the end of their current contract,” a spokesman for Magners said.

Italian car makers Fiat are reportedly interested in taking over the sponsorship.

Italian sides Aironi Rugby and Benetton Treviso joined the competition at the start of the 2010-11 campaign to bring to 12 the number of teams involved over 4 nations.

More Rugby World Cup Balls

We’ve had more Gilbert Rugby World Cup balls from the countries competing in the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand this year. We’ve got a massive range of Rugby Balls at Roksport,Click here to buy them.

Gilbert Rugby World Cup 2011 Georgia Rugby Ball Size 5

Gilbert Rugby World Cup 2011 Italy Rugby Ball Size 5

Gilbert Rugby World Cup 2011 Japan Rugby Ball Size 5

Pre-Match facts

Head-to-head

• This is the 17th time Wales and Italy have met. Wales have won 13, Italy two and there has been one draw.

• The only drawn game finished 18-18 in Cardiff four years ago.

Wales

• For the ninth time in 11 seasons of Six Nations rugby, Wales will not secure a top-three championship finish.

• Wales have conceded 10 tries, eight more than in 2008 when they won the Grand Slam.

• At 18 years and 25 days old, Tom Prydie will become the youngest- ever Welsh international when he makes his debut on Saturday.

Italy

• Italy have recorded a solitary win in 27 Six Nations away games – a 37-17 victory at Murrayfield in 2007.

• Italy have scored four tries in this year’s Championship, twice as many as they scored in the 2009 Six Nations.

Wales are strong favourites for this one. But can Italy upset the odds and brining Wales’ 6 Nations Championship to a defistating end?

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Wales’ team to face Italy

Wales will be aiming to end a poor 6 nations on a high when they face Italy on the weekend. The team has now been announced:

Lee Byrne (Ospreys); Tom Prydie (Ospreys); James Hook (Ospreys), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues); Shane Williams (Ospreys); Stephen Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), Michael Phillips (Ospreys); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Matthew Rees (Llanelli Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Cardiff Blues), Luke Charteris (Dragons), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Jones (capt, Ospreys).
Replacements: Huw Bennett, Paul James, Ian Gough, Gareth Delve, Dwayne Peel, Andrew Bishop, Tom Shanklin.