Parisse to make history against Namibia
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Italy coach Conor O'Shea has announced his team for the Pool B match against Namibia in Hanazono Rugby Stadium on Sunday, 22 September.
Italy have made nine changes to the starting XV who lost 37-0 against England on September 6. Nicola Quaglio, Braam Steyn, Edoardo Padovani, Tommaso Benvenuti, Mattia Bellini and Jayden Hayward will start against Namibia having also been starters against England.
Italy captain and no.8 Sergio Parisse become the third player to play at five Rugby World Cups - after Brian Lima (Samoa, 1991 - 2007) and Parisse's compatriot Mauro Bergamasco (1999 - 2015).
Parisse also wins his 141st cap, bringing him level with Brian O'Driscoll in second place, seven behind Richie McCaw's world record 148 caps.
O'Driscoll played eight times for the British and Irish Lions so Parisse is already second behind McCaw in terms of winning caps for his country.
Parisse will be 36 years and 10 days old when he takes the field in Sunday's match. He will be the second oldest player to play for Italy at a Rugby World Cup behind Mauro Bergamasco.
Parisse was also the youngest player to play for Italy in the competition when he played against New Zealand at Rugby World Cup 2003.
Alessandro Zanni will become the seventh player to feature in four Rugby World Cups for Italy. Leonardo Ghiraldini, who has not been selected in the match-day 23 against Namibia, can become the eighth.
Edoardo Padovani has finished on the winning side in only two of his 23 international matches. Of the players who have played at least 20 tests for Italy, only Angelo Esposito has a lower success rate, winning one of his 21 matches.
1. Nicola Quaglio
2. Luca Bigi
3. Tiziano Pasquali
4. Alessandro Zanni
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Braam Steyn
7. Maxime Mbanda
8. Sergio Parisse (capt.)
9. Tito Tebaldi
10. Tommaso Allan
11. Edoardo Padovani
12. Luca Morisi
13. Tommaso Benvenuti
14. Mattia Bellini
15. Jayden Hayward
16. Oliviero Fabiani
17. Simone Ferrari
18. Marco Riccioni
19. Dean Budd
20. Jake Polledri
21. Guglielmo Palazzani
22. Carlo Canna
23. Matteo Minozzi
