Record-breaking game for Sergio Parisse against Boks

David Skippers

Sergio Parisse will break Italy’s appearance record for Rugby World Cup matches when he leads his team against South Africa in Shizuoka on Friday.

The veteran number eight will play in his 15th match at the global event and in doing so, he will also win his 142nd cap, surpassing Brian O’Driscoll of Ireland’s total of 141, to become the record appearance maker of the northern hemisphere. Only New Zealand’s Richie McCaw, with 148 Test caps, has more.

Parisse will be joined in the Azzurri’s back-row by Braam Steyn and Jake Polledri, who are the starting flankers for the crucial Pool B encounter against the Springboks.

Italy head coach Conor O’Shea has also made other changes to his run-on side which beat Canada 48-7 in Fukuoka last week.

All those changes are made in the back-line with Michele Campagnaro, who started at outside centre against the Canucks, shifting to the left wing with Luca Morisi taking over in the number 13 jersey.

Campagnaro replaces Giulio Bisegni out wide and is joined in the back three by fellow wing Tommaso Benvenuti and full-back Matteo Minozzi.

Italy: 15 Matteo Minozzi, 14 Tommaso Benvenuti, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Jayden Hayward, 11 Michele Campagnaro, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 Tito Tebaldi, 8 Sergio Parisse (c), 7 Jake Polledri, 6 Braam Steyn, 5 Dean Budd, 4 David Sisi, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Luca Bigi, 1 Andrea Lovotti
Replacements: 16 Federico Zani, 17 Nicola Quaglio, 18 Marco Riccioni, 19 Alessandro Zanni, 20 Federico Ruzza, 21 Sebastian Negri, 22 Callum Braley, 23 Carlo Canna

Date: Friday, October 4
Venue: Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa
Kick-off: 18:45 local (10:45 BST, 09:45 GMT)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees: Romain Poite (France), Alexandre Ruiz (France)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)