This archive report was first published on 23 September 2019.
Published on September 23, 2019, Italy's Rugby World Cup campaign got off to a shaky start with a 47-22 win over Namibia at the Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Higashiosaka.
Italy captain Sergio Parisse, who became only the third man to play in five Rugby World Cups, admitted that the match was 'not maybe a really nice match to see' due to the challenging weather conditions.
Despite the win, Italy coach Conor O'Shea expressed disappointment with his team's performance, stating that it was 'not the true version of us'.
Italy's victory was largely due to their second-half performance, where they scored 27 points to Namibia's 7. The Italians struggled in the first half, with several chances going to waste due to errors.
Italy's next match is against South Africa on October 4, a game that could be crucial in determining their chances of reaching the knock-out stages.
