Fiji also had replacement

CREMONA, Italy -- Italy celebrated 100 caps for captain Sergio Parisse and Martin Castrogiovanni by beating a Fiji side reduced to 11 men at one point 37-31 on Saturday. Vontae Davis Jersey . Despite the advantage of four Fijians being sent to the sin-bin in eight minutes early in the first half, Italy almost spoiled the occasion for two of their rugby greats by blowing a 30-10 lead with 20 minutes to go. Fiji scored three converted tries to pull within six with five minutes left, but time ran out, and Fiji missed out on a fifth straight win to match their record runs in 1934 and 1999. "I wanted to celebrate with a win, but not suffering so much," Parisse said. "But after the heavy defeat against Australia, we had to win and we did so. "Certainly, there are so many things to improve on but you can work more calmly when you get a positive result." Fiji also had replacement Sisa Koyamaibole sent to the sin bin late on to set an unwanted international record of the most yellow cards by one team in a match. As early as the third minute, Fiji flanker Dominiko Waqaniburotu was warned that he was fortunate not to be yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle which forced Luca Morisi out of the match and gifted three points to Luciano Orquera. The first try arrived in the ninth minute with a swift counterattack after Orquera lost the ball to centre Asaeli Tikoirotuma, who raced almost the entire length of the pitch before offloading to fullback Metuisela Talebula. Captain Akapusi Qera was the first to be sin-binned in the 21st for lashing out at scrumhalf Edoardo Gori after play had already been stopped for a penalty. Qera was swiftly joined in the bin by Tikoirotuma for a dangerous tackle and No. 8 Sakiusa Matadigo for a high tackle, and Italy took the lead with a second Orquera penalty. It worsened for Fiji as inside centre Nemani Nadolo was binned for an intentional knock down. Against 11 men, Italy drove Parisse across in a rolling maul for a converted try. Qera came back but Italy managed a second try, with fullback Luke McLean forcing his way over between two tacklers, and Italy bumped its lead to 20-5. Another Orquera penalty started the second half, but Fiji reduced the deficit through a Nagusa try. The Fijians continued to sabotage themselves with more indiscipline. Orquera missed another penalty but Italy extended its lead in the 58th with a penalty try. But up 30-10, Italy was looking far from convincing. Nadolo claimed a try, but Fiji had a fifth yellow card when Koyamaibole was punished for a shoulder charge on Tommaso Iannone. Italy thought it sealed the match when Fijian-born Manoa Vosawai scored for 37-17 with 10 minutes remaining. However, winger Napolioni Nalaga crossed and Nagusa grabbed his second try of the match while Parisse was in the sin-bin. Italy hung on without its captain for its first win since March, ending a streak of four losses. ------ Italy 37 (Sergio Parisse, Luke McClean, Manoa Vosawai tries; penalty try; Luciano Orquera 3 conversions, 3 penalties, Tommaso Allan conversion), Fiji 31 (Timoci Nagusa 2, Metuisela Talebulamaijaina, Nemani Nadolo, Napolioni Nalaga tries; Seremaia Bai 3 conversions). HT: 20-5 LaRon Landry Black Friday Jersey . LOUIS -- St. Hakeem Nicks Black Friday Jersey . The Kings have gone 6-0-3 over their last nine games despite having been held to three goals or fewer in eight of 10 contests this month. Los Angeles has failed to score more than two goals six times in that span. ROME -- New IOC president Thomas Bach is pleased with the Italian governments support for a 2024 Summer Olympics bid and said its "time for the United States to present a strong bid." Bach is in Rome for the European Olympic Committees general assembly and meetings with Pope Francis. He also visited with Italian Premier Enrico Letta. "The prime minister appeared to be interested in a bid from Italy for 24, because he has realized that the games can serve as a catalyst for development for a city and a country," Bach told The Associated Press on Saturday. While Rome has not yet been officially selected, the capital -- which hosted the 1960 Games -- likely would be Italys candidate. Other potential 2024 bids could come from Paris; Doha, Qatar; and cities in Africa and the United States. "I think its time for the United States to present a strong bid," Bach said. "And Im happy to hear that the USOC is undertaking everything to prepare such a bid." Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington are among the cities that could present a U.S. bid. USOC chairman Larry Probst attended the EOC meeting in Rome as the Americans attempt to boost their presence and influence in Olympic circles. Probst was chosen an IOC member in September. The USOC, which brings more money than anyone to the Olympic movement in the form of sponsorship and TV revenue, hasnt hosted an Olympics since the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. The countrys last Summer Olympics were in Atlanta in 1996. Italys last Olympics were the 2006 Winter Games in Turin. Rome was the first city to declare its candidacy for the 2020 Games, but then-Premier Mario Monti refused to provide government financial backing and the bid was dropped. However, Letta voiced strong support for a 2024 bid in a speech at an Italian Olympic Committee meeting 10 days ago and again after meeting seeing Bach. "The Italian bid could become something definitive," Letta said after meeting with Bach on Friday. "Its not just a simple possibility." Bach also visited the pope both individually on Friday and again Saturday with a large delegation from the Olympic assembly. With numerous other high-profile IOC members also in Rome -- such as Sheik Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, the influential Kuwaiti who heads the Association of National Olympic Committees -- Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malago callled the two-day assembly "satisfying from every point of view. Pat McAfee Colts Jersey. " "I really think we showed strong signs of credibility," Malago said. "For them to be here and touch things that we take for granted with their own hands was very special." While Italys financial situation has not improved since Montis rejection, with the countrys economy still in recession, senior Italian IOC member Mario Pescante said the Olympics would spur a turnaround. "Our country needs this," Pescante told the AP. "The principal problem for our country is to convince a defeatist public opinion -- and rightly so defeatist -- considering the way we react to any big event, whether its an earthquake or what not." Fears of rampant corruption play a big role. "People need to stop saying We cant do it, added Pescante, who stepped in as a special commissioner for the Turin Games. "If we continue not to build anything because were afraid of the Mafia, the country will commit suicide. ... We need to offer a strong signal that this story is finished, that were not a population of thieves. This is the biggest challenge and an Olympics could overcome that." Meanwhile, 10 weeks after his election, Bach is also pressing forward with his campaign to reform the bidding process -- starting with the detailed dossiers that bidders complete at the outset. "From most of them (its) always the same answer because they all answer the way they think we want to hear," Bach said. "I would like to invite the potential bidding cities to tell us how they think that the Olympic Games would fit best in their social and natural environment. It depends on diversity and creativity for them to say how they see it." Earlier this month, voters in Bachs home country of Germany rejected a proposed Munich bid for the 2022 Winter Games, citing financial and environmental concerns. For British Olympic Association chairman and 2012 London Games organizer Sebastian Coe, the two keys for the bidding process are making sure as many cities as possible want to join and engaging with the local communities. "The most demanding stakeholder that you have are the people that youre delivering these games for," Coe said. "Once youve focused on the needs of the athletes, the next most important group are the people in those communities that you are delivering the games for." ' ' '