Italy to monitor captain Parisse's World Cup fitness after surgery

LONDON (Reuters) - Italy captain Sergio Parisse has undergone surgery to drain a blood clot in his left leg and his fitness will be monitored ahead of the start of the Rugby World Cup, the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) said on Tuesday.

(Reuters)

The number eight had the procedure in Paris after sustaining bruising in Italy's defeat by Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, their final warm-up game before the global showpiece starts next week.

Parisse, 31, has been capped 113 times by Italy and is a towering presence at the back of the scrum.

"In the coming days we will broadcast updates on the recovery time of the player," the FIR said in a statement.

Italy are also monitoring the fitness of centres Luca Morisi and Gonzalo Garcia who were both forced off with sprains against Wales.

Italy are in World Cup Pool D along with Ireland, France, Canada and Romania. They open their campaign against the French at Twickenham on Sept. 19.

(Reporting by Justin Palmer; editing by Ed Osmond)