URC: Zebre v Connacht, Parma, Saturday, 3pm – Live, Premier Sports 2
Connacht will be looking for a timely boost to add to their URC win tally when they take on Zebre Parma in Italy on Saturday (3pm).
Both clubs need the win to propel them towards the top half of the URC table as they languish in 14th and 16th place respectively.
There is much on the line with just four points between them. Once a win in Parma was a given, but Zebre, founded only 53 years ago, will be ready and waiting for the Irish visitors in a bid to lift themselves from the bottom of the table and celebrate this special Origin Round when players recognise their home clubs.
Although Zebre have traditionally struggled, their passion can never be questioned, and their coach Massimo Brunello will remind his players of their rare win over Connacht in 2017 when they celebrated a 25-22 victory.
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Few of Stuart Lancaster’s side will remember that loss, but they will recall last weekend’s disappointing 34-23 defeat to Leinster on a historic day for Connacht with the opening of Dexcom Stadium.
“We were all gutted not to win last week on such a special night for the club,” says Lancaster, “but we’ve had to quickly move on. The same amount of points are on offer this weekend, and we know a win will keep us in the hunt for a playoff spot.”
Connacht face the Italians without Billy Bohan, Darragh Murray and Cian Prendergast, who are involved in the Ireland training squad, and Bundee Aki, who was handed a four-match suspension for verbal abuse of last weekend’s match official. They are replaced by Jordan Duggan, Niall Murray and Sean O’Brien, while Jack Aungier is named at tighthead prop for the injured Sam Illo, and Chay Mullins is named on the left wing.
Lancaster will be looking to his backs to continue their scoring form, with centres Cathal Forde and Harry West, alongside Shane Jennings and Sam Gilbert completing the side in the back three.
“We’re obviously missing the lads away on Ireland duty, but overall we’ve been able to keep selection relatively consistent these last few weeks, particularly in the backs. It’s been a long stretch of games, but we’ll do everything we can to finish it on a high and hopefully head into the next block of games with a spring in our step.”
ZEBRE: G Montemauri, M Belloni, G Bertaccini, M Zanon, S Gesi, MR Farias, G Garcia, P Buonfiglio, G Ribaldi, E Pieretto, M Canali, L Krumov (capt), G Ferrari, I Bianchi, D Ruggeri.
Replacements: S Klein, L Franceschetto, J Pitinari, F Carrera, A Ortombina, T Dominguez, E Lucchin, B Stavile.
CONNACHT: S Gilbert, S Jennings, H West, C Forde, C Mullins, J Ioane, C Blade, J Duggan, D Tierney-Martin, J Aungier, J Murphy, J Joyce, P Boyle (capt), S O’Brien, S Jansen.
Replacements: M Victory, P Dooley, F Barrett, D O’Connor, N Murray, B Murphy, S Naughton, O McCormack.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse.
