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Zebre name immediate replacement as NZ coach exits for 'family reasons'
By Ian Cameron
Zebre Parma has announced that David Sisi will retire as a player and assume the role of lineout coach for the next two seasons - while confirming the exit of forwards coach Joshua Syms.
Sisi - who made 104 appearances and scored five tries for the club between 2017 and 2024 - is transitioning into a coaching role under new head coach Massimo Brunello. The 31-year-old earned 30 caps for Italy and competed in a Rugby World Cup.
The former England U20s star has chosen to remain with the club and city of Parma where he has lived since 2017 with his family.
"Continuing the excellent work Josh [Syms] has done so far is a great responsibility and a new challenge that I embrace with pleasure and enthusiasm," said Sisi. "The decision to stop playing was not easy, but I am very happy to continue working with this group of athletes with whom I have shared so much.
"During my career I have gained a long and diversified experience at an international level. I have compared myself with many great coaches from the Premiership, the URC and the national team and I feel I can continue to offer my contribution to the group. My passion for Zebre is strong: I thank the club for the trust. As a player, I have given a lot, but now I want to leave a mark as a coach as well."
Sisi captained Zebre in 25 matches and became the franchise's twelfth centurion this year.
Zebre also announced that Syms has left the club to return to New Zealand for family reasons. The club expressed gratitude for Syms' contributions and wished him well.
"I loved the time I spent at Zebre," said Syms. "I will always be grateful for the experience, relationships and friendships I built during my time in Parma. I am also grateful for the support that the club has provided me during this difficult period for my family. I am sure that the future of the club will be bright: I wish the players and staff the best for the 2024/25 season."
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Latest Comments
Which country do you think was instrumental in developing rugby in Argentina which then spun off into the rest of Latin South America? South Africa was touring Argentine in the 50's with their Junior Bok side on three months development tours. And they didn't do it to cultivare players for the Boks. Regarding Africa you are not taking into account that South Africa itself is an emerging nation. The rugby union has prioritised the development of rugby in South African rural communities with outstanding success.
It has taken 15 years to build the participation of rugby both in playing and watching. For South Africa on its own to build a viable international rugby competition in africa will take generations - not decades. New Zealanders seem to resent the fact that SA has doubled the income of the URC since their inclusion. If New Zealand Rugby hadn't insisted on have a disproportionate slice of the pie in Super Rugby, SA might not have fled the coop.
Go to commentsDon't think you've watched enough. I'll take him over anything I's seen so far. But let's see how the future pans out. I'm quietly confident we have a row of 10's lined uo who would each start in many really good teams.
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