Connacht have been in free-scoring form of late, notching 97 points and 12 tries in their opening three GUINNESS PRO12 games. Bottom side Zebre are the visitors to the Sportsground tonight.
GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, October 16
CONNACHT (4th) v ZEBRE (12th), the Sportsground, 7.30pm (live Galway Bay FM)
Team News: Connacht head coach Pat Lam has named his side to play Zebre at the Sportsground tonight, with just one change from the bonus point win over Cardiff Blues two weeks ago.
Tighthead prop Rodney Ah You returns to the fray after missing out on the last round with a minor injury. He joins Denis Buckley and hooker Tom McCartney in the province’s front row.
The back-line remains unchanged with winger Matt Healy set to make his 50th appearance in a Connacht jersey.
From the bench, versatile back Darragh Leader and Academy hooker Shane Delahunt (pictured below) are in line to make their seasonal debuts, while back rower Eoghan Masterson also makes a welcome return from injury.
Between the PRO12 and European competitions, this will be the 11th time that Connacht and Zebre have met since the 2012/13 season. Lam’s men will be hoping to keep up their 100% winning record against the Italian side.
Meanwhile, the Zebre management have made six personnel changes and a positional switch to the team that lost 20-8 at home to the Scarlets a fortnight ago.
South African Ulrich Beyers, a try scorer against Cardiff Blues last month, returns to the full-back position with Dion Berryman moving to the right wing. Centre Tommaso Boni and Australian international scrum half Luke Burgess are the two other new additions in the back-line.
Up front, Andrea Manici and Valerio Bernabo are back from Rugby World Cup duty to start in the front row and second row respectively, while Jacopo Sarto gets the nod at openside flanker.
There are three other young Italian internationals on the bench – backs Guglielmo Palazzani, Michele Visentin and Carlo Canna. The Benevento-born Canna who came off the bench against Ireland two weeks ago, is poised to make his debut for Zebre having signed his first professional contract with them in April.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Danie Poolman, Rory Parata, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Rodney Ah You, Quinn Roux, Andrew Browne, John Muldoon (capt), Nepia Fox-Matamua, Eoin McKeon.
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Conan O’Donnell, Finlay Bealham, Aly Muldowney, Eoghan Masterson, John Cooney, Craig Ronaldson, Darragh Leader.
ZEBRE: Ulrich Beyers; Dion Berryman, Tommaso Boni, Matteo Pratichetti, Kayle van Zyl; Edoardo Padovani, Luke Burgess; Andrea Lovotti, Andrea Manici, Pietro Ceccarelli, Valerio Bernabo, George Biagi (capt), Johan Meyer, Jacopo Sarto, Andries van Schalkwyk.
Replacements: Tommaso d’Apice, Andrea de Marchi, Emiliano Coria, Marco Bortolami, Emiliano Caffini, Guglielmo Palazzani, Michele Visentin, Carlo Canna.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Stuart Gaffikin, Stuart Douglas (both Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 1/25; Draw: 45/1; Zebre to win: 12/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “It’s good to be kickstarting this 16-game run with a home game in front of our supporters. Protecting our home ground is really important to us and Friday’s game with Zebre is another ‘must win’.
“We have a lot of respect for Zebre who we’ve played a good few times over the past few seasons and each time we’ve played them, we’ve had to work collectively as a team for our wins.
“They have definitely regrouped after a big loss in the opening round and the Scarlets and Dragons just got home against them, so we expect a tough battle on Friday night.”
Andrea de Rossi (Zebre) – “We’re approaching one the hardest games of the league against a team that is always difficult to face, especially in Galway.
“Connacht are a very physical side that work off a solid game-plan. It will be an opportunity for our team to grow after a very good week of training in Parma.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 37; Tries: Nepia Fox-Matamua, Danie Poolman 3 each; Zebre – Points: Ulrich Beyers 7; Tries: Ulrich Beyers, Mattia Bellini 1 each
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, September 7, 2012 – Zebre 17 Connacht 30, Stadio XXV Aprile
Friday, March 1, 2013 – Connacht 23 Zebre 19, the Sportsground
Saturday, September 7, 2013 – Connacht 25 Zebre 16, the Sportsground
Sunday, February 23, 2014 – Zebre 19 Connacht 27, Stadio XXV Aprile
Friday, November 21, 2014 – Connacht 43 Zebre 3, the Sportsground
Saturday, May 9, 2015 – Zebre 10 Connacht 40, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
MATCH FACTS:
– Connacht’s three matches so far in the GUINNESS PRO12 this season have all been won by the home side on the day, while the Irish province claimed two league points in their only defeat at Glasgow Warriors in round 2
– The westerners are attempting to win a third straight home game for the first time since the turn of the year
– Zebre have lost their last nine PRO12 encounters and have not obtained a league point since last season’s round 19 defeat at home to the Scarlets
– The Italians’ only previous victory over an Irish province came when they defeated Ulster 13-6 in Parma in September 2014
– Connacht have won all ten previous clashes with Zebre in all competitions, and obtained a try-scoring bonus point in the sides’ three most recent meetings
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