Sports
Italrugby honors Sergio Parisse on special occasion

Rugby Italy honors Sergio Parisse
Sunday, Feb. 23, will be an important day for Italian rugby, not only because Gonzalo Quesada’s national team, fresh from its success against Wales, will take the field at the Olympic Stadium in Rome against the fearsome France led on the field by Antoine Dupont, but also because the FIR has decided, for that very date, to create a series of side events dedicated to one of the symbols of the oval ball in Italy and the world, Sergio Parisse.
The historic Azzurri captain, active in the national team between 2002 and 2019, collected 142 caps with the Azzurri, taking the field in no less than five editions of the World Cup, in Australia in 2003, France in 2007, New Zealand in 2011, England in 2015 and Japan in 2019.
The top brass of Azzurri rugby had promised to dedicate a special day to Parisse but the commitments of the former third line, now on the Toulon coaching staff, had not allowed him to participate in the special ceremony of awarding special caps to Azzurri Centurions, held in 2022 at the Olympic Stadium.
“Sergio’s career canò be defined only as extraordinary – said Andrea Duodo, president of the Italian Rugby Federation.”
By duration, by the quality of the game he was able to express until the day of his own retirement, by the’commitment that in every single minute he put in the service of the Azzurri jersey and the movement”.
“There could not be a better moment than the match on February 23 against France, which unites the two rugby worlds that have characterized his sporting career, to hand him the Centurion cap and, above all, to thank him, we along with our cousins and friends arriving from the’other side of the Alps, for the wonderful rugby he has given us for almost twenty years’
With 142 caps, Parisse è the player who has collected, as of February 2025, the most national team appearances. The other Azzurri centurions are Martin Castrogiovanni (119 caps between 2002 and 2016), Alessandro Zanni (also stopped at 119, between 2005 and 2020), Marco Bortolami (112 between 2001 and 2015), Leonardo Ghiraldini (107 between 2006 and 2020), Mauro Bergamasco (106 between 1998 and 2015), Andrea Lo Cicero (103 between 2000 and 2013) and Alessandro Troncon (102 between 1994 and 2007).
Sports
Verona, Paolo Zanetti regrets the'only mistake

These are the words of Verona coach Paolo Zanetti to Sky Sport after the 1-0 defeat against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.
“We took the goal on the’only mistake, the only blunder we made in a game, in my opinion, that was important, a game where we were in it against a high level Roma, but today we played a game with courage”.
“We really came here to really try also to play the game for a good part, we also lacked the important kick, normal that when you then leave space in the restart of such players, then afterwards all the quality comes out”.
“With the game we came many times to bring many men in Roma’s half of the field, in the area we made a lot of crosses, we often missed the last pass, we probably lacked a little bit’ of quality, with the understanding that we were also meeting a team that has players of the highest level”.
“So it wasn“t easy, however, I can’t say anything about the commitment and the desire to bring home points, then the details, as we know, make the difference in these matches””
concluded Zanetti.
Sports
Roma, Claudio Ranieri dreams of Champions League and reaffirms his future

These are the words of Roma coach Claudio Ranieri to the microphones of Sky Sport after the 1-0 victory against Verona.
“Champions League? It’s not easy, it’s one thing to say these guys are doing an extraordinary thing, it’s another to say we’re going to Champions.
“There is the dream, then there are the thoughts and then the’action. It is not a walk in the woods. We started the championship badly, but it has to finish possibly well”.
“There’s a good group, that’s why I don’t stay. Then you have to give the new coach time to shape the team, with me it would be a lost year.
“We have a lot to do, right to step aside with a coach who knows what he wants”. On the possibility that Ancelotti might take his place, Ranieri says: “I don”t talk about the new coach anymore.
Sports
Ferrari’s disappointment, Lewis Hamilton demoralized

Here are the words of Ferrari’s team principal Frederic Vasseur and the two Maranello factory drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who were fourth and seventh, respectively, at the end of qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah circuit.
“We are three tenths off pole position, it is true, but in the race we have a good pace. Since the beginning of the season we have always gone better in the race than in qualifying, so tomorrow anything is possible. It is true that we struggle a bit’ in Turn 1 but on the rest of the track we are on the times of the others.”
“Hamilton is almost nine tenths off pole and I think that because he still does not have total confidence in the car, he struggles a little bit’on this track so limited by the barriers– continued Vasseur -But in Bahrain Lewis made a good comeback and we think it can happen again tomorrow”.
“The disappointment is high, because it was a track on which we had higher hopes – added Leclerc -. Today is confirmation that we lack potential, although I am happy because I found the right direction in qualifying. It is difficult, but I extracted the maximum in my lap, risking going to the wall two or three times.”
“It was a tricky qualifying as always – says Hamilton -. This weekend I was nowhere to be found, I couldn’t even grow that much from session to session, however, I am grateful to have entered Q3, given the level. The last lap was not spectacular, but improvements we are making.”
-
Sports3 days ago
Edison Callejas dominates the third stage of the Giro d'Abruzzo
-
Sports6 days ago
Luka Modric looks to the future: enters as minority owner of Swansea
-
EU & the World5 days ago
Sedona Prince Allegations: Why She Wasn’t Selected in WNBA Draft
-
EU & the World3 days ago
‘Ginny & Georgia’ Season 3: Trailer, Release Date, Cast & More Details
-
EU & the World2 days ago
FSU Shooter 2025: Who Is the Florida State Shooting Suspect Phoenix Ikner?
-
Sports5 days ago
Milan-Conegliano, scudetto final kicks off: start at Palaverde
-
EU & the World2 days ago
Florida State University Shooting: Updates on the FSU Situation
-
Sports3 days ago
Formula 1, Verstappen towards Red Bull farewell? Aston Martin attempts the coup of the decade