Connacht need to bring home as many points as possible from Parma as they continue their challenge for a top six finish in the GUINNESS PRO12 and qualification for next season’s European Champions Cup.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, May 9
ZEBRE (12th) v CONNACHT (8th), Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 6.30pm local time/5.30pm Irish time (live TG4/Nuvolari TV/Galway Bay FM)
Team News: Head coach Pat Lam has made one change to his team from the last round of the GUINNESS PRO12 as his Connacht side prepare to face Zebre in Parma on Saturday.
Scrum half John Cooney is named to start in an otherwise unchanged back-line in what will be his 13th appearance of the season.
Academy out-half Conor McKeon represents one of two changes to the replacements bench. The 21-year-old is in line to earn his first cap for the province in Italy. A cousin of number 8 Eoin McKeon, the former Ireland Under-20 international and current Lansdowne out-half joined the Connacht Academy last summer.
Prop JP Cooney (24) has also been included in Saturday’s matchday squad, replacing the injured Ronan Loughney (groin).
Connacht currently sit in eighth place in the PRO12 after dropping out of the all-important sixth place following the loss to league leaders Glasgow Warriors last month.
However, Lam’s men are still in with a chance of qualifying for next season’s European Champions Cup. A win over Zebre would mark a season record of ten league victories and would also be their tenth consecutive triumph over the Italian side.
Zebre are still chasing the Italian European Champions Cup spot for next season as they sit just three points behind arch rivals Benetton Treviso.
Meanwhile, Zebre coaches Victor Jimenez and Roland de Marigny have handed the captaincy to Italy veteran Mauro Bergamasco ahead of his final home club game before retirement.
Bergamasco is bowing out after 18 years of club rugby at Petrarca Padova, Benetton Treviso, Stade Francais, Aironi and Zebre. The Padova-born flanker, who recently turned 36, will of course be aiming for a big finish in the Italian jersey at this autumn’s Rugby World Cup.
Bottom side Zebre lost 37-0 to Edinburgh away a fortnight ago, and there are wholesale changes. Centre Gonzalo Garcia and out-half Luciano Orquera are the only survivors in the back-line.
Props Matias Aguero and Dario Chistolini, who were both sin-binned at BT Murrayfield, are retained in an unchanged front row, while Quintin Geldenhuys and skipper Bergamasco are the two personnel changes in the second row and back row.
ZEBRE: Dion Berryman; Giovanbattista Venditti, Matteo Pratichetti, Gonzalo Garcia, Michele Visentin; Luciano Orquera, Brendon Leonard; Matias Aguero, Andrea Manici, Dario Chistolini, Quintin Geldenhuys, Valerio Bernabò, Mauro Bergamasco (capt), Andries van Schalkwyk.
Replacements: Oliviero Fabiani, Andrea de Marchi, Luca Redolfini, Andrei Mahu, Jacopo Sarto, Guglielmo Palazzani, Alberto Chillon, Mirco Bergamasco.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Danie Poolman, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, John Cooney; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Rodney Ah You, Ultan Dillane, Aly Muldowney, John Muldoon (capt), Eoghan Masterson, Eoin McKeon.
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, JP Cooney, Finlay Bealham, Andrew Browne, George Naoupu, Kieran Marmion, Conor McKeon, Darragh Leader.
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Elia Rizzo, Filippo Bertelli (both Italy)
Television Match Official: Stefano Penne (Italy)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Zebre to win: 5/2; Draw: 22/1; Connacht to win: 2/7
Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “After a series of good performances from the bench, it’s great to be able to give John (Cooney) a start this weekend.
“At this late stage of the season, it’s not unusual for us to be light in terms of players available. We’ve always had to rely on our Academy players to step up when needed and with an eye to the future, young Conor (McKeon) will get a well-deserved chance to do that this weekend.
“Conor is a talented out-half who has done very well in his first year in the Academy. He has trained with the senior squad for the last four weeks and to gain experience on and off the field in a massively important PRO12 game is the next step in his development.
“We all know how crucial this game against Zebre is. It’s ‘must win’ territory if we want to keep our hopes of Champions Cup qualification alive.
“While we have a good record against Zebre, we know too well not to underestimate them. They have been consistently improving as a side over the last three seasons and they are a different prospect at home. They have their own European battle ongoing with Treviso and a lot to play for in these last two rounds.
“While our run-in is tight, all we can control is our own performance and we must ensure the win in Italy before we welcome the Ospreys to the Sportsground next weekend. We are determined to finish the season on a high – for us and for our supporters.”
Victor Jimenez (Zebre) – “The team is aware that it must improve after a bad performance in the last game in Edinburgh. We had a good week of training, very competitive. We trust in a great performance this weekend.
“In the first match against Connacht in Galway we suffered a heavy defeat by 40 points. It will be another big challenge and especially tough for the forwards.
“Connacht have had a great season, while we have been very inconsistent. On Saturday we have to go out and put in a good performance like we have done all season in front of our own fans.”
Top Scorers – 2014/15 GUINNESS PRO12: Zebre – Points: Kelly Haimona 49; Tries: Dion Berryman 3; Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 67; Tries: Aly Muldowney 5
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
MATCH FACTS:
– Zebre are still chasing down the Italian European Champions Cup spot for next season, but their only victory since round 9 came at home to the Newport Gwent Dragons on March 1
– In 27 previous fixtures against Irish provinces in all competitions, the Italians have won just once: at home to Ulster in September 2014
– Connacht have lost their last five matches in all competitions since beating Benetton Treviso 53-5 in Galway on March 1
– Connacht have won their last seven matches against Italian opponents in all competitions
– The two sides have met on nine previous occasions in all competitions with Connacht being victorious every time (the last twice with a try-scoring bonus point)
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