Emotional changing room scenes as Parisse receives career-changing red card
Saturday was not the first time that Sergio Parisse has received a red card during his long and illustrious career, but it was probably the most damaging and emotional.
On the surface it looked like a red card for the 39-year-old Toulon No8, which in a day and age of almost a red card every match is not that strange, but this cut deeper. This was clearly an emotionally charged match for Parisse, whose father died this week.
The Italian legend was dismissed in the first half on Saturday while playing against Toulouse in Marseille by referee Pierre Baptiste Nuchy for a spear tackle on Toulouse centre Pierre-Louis Barassi, and there cannot be too many complaints about it in all honesty. Though it was a red card, the No8 has never been a dirty player, and given the occasion he has the sympathy of the entire rugby world.
Parisse seemed to take the card graciously, shaking hands with Nuchy before leaving the pitch. But minutes later he could be seen crying with his head in his hands in the changing room while being consoled by teammate Mathieu Bastareaud.
Take a look:
On top of everything he has been through, it was reported that the No8 was going to be given his long awaited send-off for Italy at the end of the Six Nations. This was something that he expected to do at the last World Cup, but had his plans scuppered by Typhoon Hagibis. Those plans were shelved until the 2020 Six Nations, but the pandemic foiled them once again.
Though many expected the 142-cap legend’s Test career to be over, it was rumoured that he was going to have his swansong at the end of this Championship before his retirement at the end of the season. The red card, and a subsequent ban, may put an end to those plans, which explains why he was so emotional. Of all players in Test rugby, no one deserves a send-off more than Parisse, but he will probably miss out on that now.
Toulon XV
1 D. PRISO
2 T. BAUBIGNY
3 E. SETIANO
4 S. REBBADJ
5 B. ALAINU’UESE
6 C. DU PREEZ
7 F. ISA
8 S. PARISSE
9 B. SERIN
10 I. WEST
11 J. WAINIQOLO
12 D. PAIA’AUA
13 W. NAYACALEVU VUIDRAVUWALU
14 C. KOLBE
15 A. LUC
Replacements
16 A. ÉTRILLARD
17 B. DEVAUX
18 A. WARION
19 M. HALAGAHU
20 M. LE CORVEC
21 J. DANGLOT
22 J. SINZELLE
23 K. BROOKES
Toulouse XV
1 D. AINUU
2 G. CRAMONT
3 D. ALDEGHERI
4 R. ARNOLD
5 E. MEAFOU
6 A. PLACINES
7 F. CROS
8 A. ROUMAT
9 P. GRAOU
10 J. MALLIA
11 M. LEBEL
12 S. CHOCOBARES
13 P. BARASSI
14 A. RETIÈRE
15 M. JAMINET
Replacements
16 I. BOUBILA
17 H. REILHES
18 Y. YOUYOUTTE
19 R. ELSTADT
20 T. NTAMACK
21 M. PAGE-RELO
22 S. GUITOUNE
23 J. MERKLER
