Parisse quits Stade Francais after 15 seasons

Paris - Italy captain Sergio Parisse is to leave Stade Francais after 15 seasons with the Parisian club.

Stade said in a statement on Friday that the club and the 35-year-old Parisse, who had a year to run with the Top 14 team, "mutually decided to end their contract".

The Argentina-born No 8 touched down at Stade in 2005 and was part of the league-winning teams of 2007 and 2015.

The departure of the 138-time capped Italian comes just days after the sacking of fullback Djibril Camara, exits of coach Julien Dupuy and lock Alexandre Flanquart, and retirement of hooker Laurent Sempere.

Parisse will lead Italy to the Rugby World Cup in Japan later this year - his fifth - and where the Squadra Azzurra will face world champions New Zealand, South Africa, Namibia and Canada in Pool B.