- Title: RUGBY-NATIONS/ITALY Italy prepare for Six Nations game against Ireland
- Date: 6th February 2015
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (FEBRUARY 5, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** ITALY TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS ITALY COACH JACQUES BRUNEL ON PITCH ITALY PROP MARTIN CASTROGIOVANNI RUNNING ITALY CAPTAIN SERGIO PARISSE AT TRAINING TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS VARIOUS OF BRUNEL ON PITCH WITH OTHER COACHING STAFF PLAYERS ON PITCH ITALY BACK ANDREA MASI STRETCHING PARIS
- Embargoed: 21st February 2015 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Italy
- Country: Italy
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAD5WFCQPSXQMUGAGQ1JT9CUQDG
- Story Text: Ireland will have to give 100 percent to beat Italy in Rome on Saturday (February 7), according to Azzurri captain Sergio Parisse who was speaking on the eve of the Six Nations clash.
Parisse said his side was full of energy as the team prepared for the game at Rome's Olympic Stadium on Friday (February 6) afternoon.
While acknowledging Ireland's prowess having won last year's Six Nations title, Parisse said he was confident the Azzurri would put up a good fight.
Munster flyhalf Ian Keatley will make his Six Nations debut in the test and has been picked ahead of Ian Madigan as mainstay Jonathan Sexton misses out after suffering a series of blows to the head.
But Parisse said the Azzurri were trying to focus on their own strengths rather than studying those of Keatley or Madigan.
"We don't really focus our strategy on Madigan or Keatley, we just study Ireland as every team does in the Six Nations and will try to put them under pressure," he said.
Parisse added his team would put in a top performance on Saturday, promising the game would not be easy for Ireland.
"About our tactics, our strategy against Ireland, obviously I don't want to talk about it, but you're going to see tomorrow; I'm really confident about our coach and our staff prepared for the match and how the team prepared for the match tomorrow," Parisse said. "Me, personally, I talked to a lot of Ireland...10 days before or 15 days before in London in the press conference of the Six Nations. We really know about the strength of Ireland, we really know they did a great 2014, they doing a great test matches in November beating great teams.
"So now the day before the match we don't think too much in Ireland, we don't think too much about their strengths, we think about us. I'm really confident because I saw inside the team, a team with a lot of energy, a team who wants tomorrow to not give nothing to Ireland. So I'm really sure that if Ireland plays 70, 60 percent against us, they are not going to win tomorrow but they must play 100 percent to beat us so it is going to be tough for Ireland too tomorrow."
New Zealand-born flyhalf Kelly Haimona will make his Six Nations debut for Italy in Saturday's clash.
The 28-year-old Haimona, who qualified for the Azzurri through the residency rule, impressed during his three appearances in the autumn -- scoring 35 points.
Head coach Jacques Brunel made two changes to the side that lost 22-6 to South Africa in their last international in November, George Biagi replacing the injured Quintin Geldenhuys in the second row while flanker Francesco Minto returns for Samuela Vunisa.
Included on the bench is uncapped Treviso back-rower Marco Barbini, along with four others who are new to the Six Nations championship: hooker Andrea Manici, prop Dario Chistolini, lock Marco Fuser and scrum-half Guglielmo Palazzani.
Team: 15-Andrea Masi, 14-Leonardo Sarto, 13-Michele Campagnaro, 12-Luca Morisi, 11-Luke McLean, 10-Kelly Haimona, 9-Edoardo Gori; 8-Sergio Parisse (captain), 7-Francesco Minto, 6-Alessandro Zanni, 5-George Biagi, 4-Joshua Furno, 3-Martin Castrogiovanni, 2-Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1-Matias Aguero.
Replacements: 16-Andrea Manici, 17-Alberto de Marchi, 18-Dario Chistolini, 19-Marco Fuser, 20-Marco Barbini, 21-Guglielmo Palazzani, 22-Tommaso Allan, 23-Giovambattista Venditt. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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