Sergio Parisse: Italy’s awesome No8 all too familiar with the pain of defeat

The man carrying Italy’s Six Nations hopes alone cannot go on for ever but we should cherish his skills and resilience while we canThe most remarkable thing about Sergio Parisse is not what he can do during a game. What makes him, above all else, the greatest No8 in modern European rugby is his ability to soak up the recurring pain of defeat and come back for more. Year in, year out Italy do it tougher than any other international team and Parisse has long since grown used to life under the hammer. Related: Why are Italy still going nowhere in the Six Nations? Related: Ben Youngs replaces Dan…