Wales assistant coach Shaun Edwards says he is not surprised by Italy captain Sergio Parisse's red card for allegedly insulting a referee.
Parisse is expected to be suspended at a French league disciplinary hearing on Wednesday for allegedly insulted referee Laurent Cardona, which would rule him out of this weekend's Six Nations clash with Wales.
And according to Edwards, he can expect no sympathy from Saturday's visitors to the Stadio Olimpico.
"It's not a surprise to me that he has been done for speaking to the referee. It's nothing he hasn't done before," said defence specialist Edwards.
"Last Friday we were watching the tape back from our match against Italy last year, and he came out with profanities in the referee's ear-shot and saying what he was going to do to one of our players, so it is no surprise to me that he has been done for back-chatting to the referee.
"On that footage you can clearly hear what is said in the referee's microphone. He was saying what damage he was going to do to one of our players."
If Parisse is banned, it would come as a massive setback for the Azzurri.
"He is obviously a player who is rated very highly throughout the world," Edwards added.
"Parisse is a very creative player from scrums with his inside balls that cause a problem for defences, and he is a very strong scrummager, particularly in his own 22.
"He is good in the air and excellent at off-loading, so I'm pretty sure his coach will be hoping he gets off his ban.
"I don't know who will play number eight for Italy on Saturday, but I am sure they won't play with 14 players if he is out. They will have somebody perfectly competent to replace him."
Comments
jontheref says...
The footage Edwards was refering to, was in the Wales Italy game last year, and Parisse was speaking in English.
I sad for him he has got 40 days, 10 suspended, but maybe he should not have been so good against France!!!
Makes a mockery of violent players, who can cause much more harm with the boot, and miss 1 or 2 games, but it is what we have become used to in the judiciary of Rugby Union.
Posted 16:57 20th February 2013
carpelone says...
I remember a boot in the face of Kearney from Byrne some years ago, which was unnecessary and dangerous.
Phillips is always looking for troubles, don't be surprised that he will get eventually sorted out.
But every team has couple of "temperamental" players, so whoever is sinless etc etc.
As far as Parisse is concerned, I have just seen the footage and my opinion is that nothing happened. There was no reason for insulting the ref and Parisse, in case, would have done it directly in French. You know, French do not understand English well, so However, the referee was so furious at Parisse that I doubt he will escape a lengthy ban.
Posted 13:53 20th February 2013
jontheref says...
carpelone,
yes, Phillips, such a thug, always leads with his neck into the maul, so he literally gets chocked, sorry throttled!
Byrne?
Take a look at Healey first!
Argentina have always got the benefit of the doubt athese type of hearings, and I suspect Parisse will also, wrong, but I will not be surprised.
Good on Edwards, for all you critics go listen to the video of the game.
Parisse has also been choppsing on twitter, which the judiciary have taken offence to previously,so if he was Samoan, he get a very long ban then!
Good player, let his darl underbelly do the talking this time.
Posted 09:18 20th February 2013
carpelone says...
In any case, Sergio is the captain and should have known better. He is there to help the ref and not to argue with him.
He would be even a better player without the burden of captaincy, he is not apt to this task.
Posted 08:54 20th February 2013
turboboy says...
Rugby is one of the few sports where refs still get respected so they should come down hard on him to make an example. For me there is not enough refs marching teams the additional 10m for verbal so throwing in the odd card for particularly bad verbal offences wouldn't be out of place.
No need for Edwards to pipe up though but I suspect he didn't go looking to make a comment but the journos asked him for one and made a story out of it. If every coach said no comment the game build up would be very sterile and he has a right to say what he wants - context is everything!
Posted 00:00 20th February 2013
Dezz says...
Well done to Shaun for having the guts to speak his mind. Why is everyone getting upset that the TRUTH has been spoken, Parisse is a bit gobby....so what. If he gets sent off then it's his own fault, if he recieves a ban, then he has no one to blame but himself. Shaun has never said he was a choir boy in his career, but I can't remember him getting sent off for backchat. Hopefully his comments add a bit of fuel to the game. Should be interesting to see if the boys can back up last weeks performance against France.........Hold on there's a knocking at my door.......Got to go, the thought police are here to arrest me for something I thought about earlier.
Posted 18:06 19th February 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
Edwards has been reading the Gatland "book of mind games". Problem is that's not Warrens strength at all.
Posted 17:11 19th February 2013
UtilityBackHook says...
@ Lucasrg:
My sentiments exactly. Italy are a different team without Parisse, but they certainly are not lacking in the back row department. Barbieri rarely disappoints and should be put at 8 with Zanni at 6 and Favaro at 7 if the suspension goes through.
@ tha_mai & @ 5Lock4ward:
Well said.
Posted 16:22 19th February 2013
Lucasrg says...
pfft....bring on Barbieri or Zanni at 8 and not much will change.
Posted 14:50 19th February 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
Whoa, I haven't seen so much holier than thou - righteous fury on a rugby webiste since rob hawkins' arm got the mr tickle treatment!
Has Sergio dallied with Shaun Edward's mum or something?!? Sounds personal to me...
Posted 14:32 19th February 2013
masar says...
PARISSE IS JUST MARKETING
Posted 14:01 19th February 2013
heathy says...
Parisse has a reputation for being a bit chopsy and most know that. However, he is certainly not alone. If he has said these things then getting sent off is probably punishment enough as it will be very very low on the list of misdemeanours. However, as much as I respect Edwards, jeeps he was one of the most chopsiest of blokes to done a rugby shirt. He was ALWAYS at it. He is still at it after rugby too. He was banned from the Welsh camp in 2011 for fighting with his own back office team as I recall. If anybody had said this stuff apart from him it may have been taken in a different way but please Shaun, pot, kettle and black spring to mind here. STFU and concentrate on your own business as you are in no position to comment on an Italian playing in the French league. Oh, apart from the fact that Wales have Italy on the weekend. Oh yes, that would mean trying to fuel a fire then and give this extra coverage and maybe influence. Why? Scared of Italy are we? You probably should be.
Posted 13:51 19th February 2013
5Lock4ward says...
Not to bring up football but this reminds me of when that Portugese pretty boy walked up and asked the ref to red card his club team-mate (I believe it was Rooney) in an international match. This is almost like acknowledging Welsh fear of Italy by basically calling for Parisse to be suspended knowing how much better they are with him on the pitch.
Posted 12:44 19th February 2013
jamesliveinhope says...
Here's where I normally jump to the defence of the victim of lazy journalistic paraphrasing but these quotes are pretty classless.
If Parisse' is guilty then he shall be banned and probably deserve it, if he isn't then what does Edwards do then?
This sort of comment is normally reserved for the trolls who operate on this type of forums not for senior rugby professionals.
And, if I remember rightly, I don't remember seeing Edwards halo in evidence much during his playing career.
Posted 12:41 19th February 2013
PontySurrey says...
Carpelone - Phillips and Byrne top of the list of Welsh thugs. You're aving a larf! If that's the case we have a serious shortage of proper thugs!
Posted 12:16 19th February 2013
carpelone says...
Thai_mai
Good man. Couldn't have said it better.
Not that Wales are short of thugs, Phillips and Byrne being the first ones of the list.
Wish all could be like Adam Jones, a legend in and outside the pitch.
Posted 10:25 19th February 2013
PREEST says...
Well after these childish comments by edwards I would love to see Italy beat his team...Sadly, I very much doubt that will happen.
Posted 08:51 19th February 2013
tha_mai says...
Nothing like putting the boot in, Shaun.
Stick to your leaky defence tactics and keep the mouth shut.
Totally classless comments coming from someone nothing to do with the judicial process.
Posted 00:15 19th February 2013
PontySurrey says...
Shame he isn't English and appearing before and RFU disciplinary committee. That would guarantee him a 2 day ban so that he could appear on Saturday!
Posted 22:10 18th February 2013
Bish2003 says...
Edwards just trying to influence hearing on Wednesday. Italy are a different team without Parisse.
Posted 21:44 18th February 2013