New Zealand 27 Italy 6: ITALY CAPTAIN Sergio Parisse was suspended for eight weeks yesterday over an eye-gouging incident in his team's loss 27-6 to New Zealand on Saturday.
Parisse was cited to appear before an International Rugby Board (IRB) judiciary after he appeared to briefly make contact with the eyes of New Zealand lock Isaac Ross during the second half of the match.
The panel viewed television footage of the incident and listened to evidence from players and officials. They found Parisse had not acted intentionally but deemed his actions were reckless and warranted a penalty. Parisse was charged with a lower-range offence which carried a recommended sentence of 12 weeks but was reduced to eight weeks because of mitigating circumstances.
The panel noted the Italian skipper’s initial contact with Ross had been on his cheek before his hands slipped to the eye. The contact with the eye was only brief and Ross was not injured.
Because Italy are now in their off-season, Parisse’s suspension was delayed until the start of the Italian club season on August 2nd.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry was unable to contain his anger at his team’s early-season form after they laboured to a 27-6 win.
New Zealand scored just one try – through Joe Rokocoko – in the first half to lead 13-3 after a shaky opening 40 minutes.
Further tries for Isaac Ross and his Crusaders team-mate George Whitelock – on debut – finally gave the home side some breathing space but it was far from a vintage performance..
New Zealand struggled in their two previous matches against France, losing the first then narrowly winning the second, and Henry said they had their work cut out getting ready for the Tri-Nations with Australia and world champions South Africa.
“It was a very disappointing performance, I thought we lacked edge,” said Henry. “We’ve got a lot of work to do before we play Australia in three weeks’ time.”
His frustrations were evident when he gave the players another verbal dressing down during the half-time break in Christchurch and again after the match when he fronted the media.
“We were hoping to build on the Wellington performance. We haven’t done that. . . we went back a couple of steps tonight,” he said.
“That puts pressure on the squad, it puts pressure on the coaches to get it right over the next few weeks.”
The Azzurri were humiliated 76-14 by New Zealand in their last meeting at the 2007 World Cup and Italy coach Nick Mallett said Saturday’s 21-point loss represented a marked improvement.
“Before you can go for wins, you’ve got to get close. When you lose by 70 points, you’re not even close are you?” Mallett said.
“But we certainly are capable of making life difficult and unpleasant. The All Blacks had to work hard for every try they scored. That’s my job as national coach, to make sure the opposition find it difficult to beat us.”
NEW ZEALAND: Muliaina, Masaga, Toeava, Nonu, Rokocoko, McAlister, Leonard, Crockett, Mealamu, Afoa, Thorn, Williams, Kaino, Latimer, Read. Replacements: Jane for Masaga (75 mins), Whitelock for Leonard (50 mins), Woodcock for Crockett (50 mins), de Malmanche for Mealamu (75), Franks for Afoa (59 mins), Weepu for Latimer (50 mins).
ITALY: McLean, Robertson, Canale, Garcia, M. Bergamasco, Gower, Tebaldi, Perugini, Ghiraldini, Rouyet, Geldenhuys, Bortolami, Zanni, M. Bergamasco, Parisse. Replacements: Pratichetti for Canale (53 mins), Burton for Garcia (72 mins), Sbaraglini for Ghiraldini (63 mins), Staibano for Rouyet (53 mins), Del Fava for Bortolami (63 mins), Favaro for Zanni (57 mins).
Ref: George Clancy(IRFU).
