Seven-try Connacht put Zebre to the sword

Zebre 12 Connacht 47

Connacht produced a seven try haul when overpowering Italian side Zebre at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi on Sunday, jumping into second place in Conference B in the Guinness Pro14 table.

In a game which marked Ultan Dillane’s 100th cap, and the return of backrow Sean O’Brien from a long term injury, Andy Friend’s side, still with a game in hand, ensured they leapfrogged Cardiff, Scarlets and Edinburgh. That they were forced to do with with 14 men for 24 minutes when replacement Abraham Papali’i was red-carded was the down side to a well controlled performance.

Yet it had looked like some old frailties had returned to haunt Connacht when Michael Bradley’s side bagged a try within a minute. Employing a long kick out, which Connacht failed to handle, Zebre quickly sent the ball wide and centre Tommaso Boni exploited a gap in defence to score a try with outhalf Antonio Rizzi adding the extras.

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However Conancht took control of territory and possession - Jack Carty potting two penalties before the opening try on 21 minutes. Carty’s kick to the corner provided the platform, and flanker Sean O’Brien, in his first match since recovering from a shoulder injury, claimed the touchdown to put his side into the lead which they never relinquished.

Before the break left wing Alex Wootton bagged his brace, the first following scrumhalf Colm O’Rielly’s impressive 30-metre break, and the second when he went end to end from an intercept for a 7-23 lead.

Sam Arnold scored the fourth try within minutes of the second-half, and there was no way back for the Italian side as Tom Daly added two more tries, and a penalty try completed the scoring. Zebre’s only score of the second half came from hooker Marco Manfredi following O’Brien’s red card.

Scoring sequence 1m Boni try, Rizz con 7-0; 6m Carty pen 7-3; 11m Carty pen 7-6; 21m O'Brien try 7-11; 35m Wootton try 7-16; 41m Wootton try, Carty con 7-23. HT 7-23; 42m Arnold try 7-28; 49m Daly try 7-33; 58m Manfredi try 12-33; 71m penalty try and con 12-40; 80m Daly try, Fitzgerald con 12-47.

Zebre: J Laloifi, G Onofrio, G Bisegni (C), T Boni, G Di Giulio, A Rizzi, J Renton, A Lovotti, M Manfredi, E Bello, L Krumov, M Kearney, L Masselli, R Giammarioli, D Sisi. Replacements: Nicolò Casilio for Renton (40), Ricccardo Brugnara for Lovotti (53), Massimo Ceciliani for Masselli (50), Paolo Pescetto for Boni (56),Oliviero Fabiani for Manfredi (59) Matteo Nocera for Sisi (59), Michelangelo Biondelli for Di Guillio(65). Yellow card, Zebre R Giommarioli 71

Connacht: J Porch; S Arnold, T Farrell, T Daly, A Wootton; J Carty, C Reilly; D Buckley, S Delahunt, J Aungier; E Masterson, G Thornbury; S O'Brien, S Masterson, J Butler (capt). Replacements: U Dillane for Thornbury (44), J Murphy for Delahunt (47), P McAllister for Buckley (56), D Robertson-McCoy for Aungier, U Dillane for Thornbury (44), A Papali'i for O'Brien (50m), Peter Sullivan for Wootton (53), Kerins for Reilly (59), C Fitzgerald for Carty (59), P Sullivan for Wootton (53). Red card, Connacht A Papali'i 56

Referee: Dan Jones (WRU)