Connacht have their targets set on another home win, preferably with a bonus point, as they look to sweep past Benetton Treviso and build momentum towards their European double header with Wasps.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, December 3
CONNACHT (8th) v BENETTON TREVISO (12th), the Sportsground, 3pm (live Galway Bay FM)
Team News: Connacht head coach Pat Lam has made four personnel and two positional changes to his team ahead of today’s GUINNESS PRO12 match against Benetton Treviso.
Out-half Marnitz Boshoff (pictured below) has been handed his first start in a Connacht jersey having come off the bench in the win over Cardiff Blues a week ago. The South African is partnered at half-back by John Cooney, a try scorer and place-kicker last Friday.
Having made his return from injury last week, Nepia Fox-Matamua is named to start at blindside flanker in the province’s otherwise unchanged pack.
Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Sean O’Brien and Rory Parata are all additions to the matchday squad with Academy graduate Parata in line to make his first appearance of the season.
Ronan Loughney, Ivan Soroka, Conan O’Donnell, Saba Meunargia, Ben Marshall, Andrew Browne, Eoghan Masterson, Eoin Griffin, Shane O’Leary, Craig Ronaldson, Josh Rowland and Darragh Leader are all currently on Connacht’s injury list, while there is a week’s rest for Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Kieran Marmion and Niyi Adeolokun following Ireland’s November internationals.
Meanwhile, Benetton Treviso welcome back some of their players who lined out in Italy’s 19-17 defeat to Tonga in Padova last Saturday afternoon.
Marco Fuser comes straight back into the second row, while flanker Braam Steyn and prop Simone Ferrari – both used as second half replacements against Tonga – also start in a Treviso pack that shows five personnel changes from their 46-3 hammering to Munster.
Davide Giazzon and Roberto Santamaria resume at hooker and openside flanker respectively, with David Odiete and Angelo Esposito added to the back-three and Michael Tagicakibau moving from the right wing to centre where he partners captain Alberto Sgarbi.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Cian Kelleher, Bundee Aki, Stacey Ili, Matt Healy; Marnitz Boshoff, John Cooney; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Conor Carey, Quinn Roux, James Cannon, Nepia Fox-Matamua, Jake Heenan, John Muldoon (capt).
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, JP Cooney, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Sean O’Brien, Eoin McKeon, Caolin Blade, Jack Carty, Rory Parata.
BENETTON TREVISO: David Odiete; Angelo Esposito, Michael Tagicakibau, Alberto Sgarbi (capt), Luca Sperandio; Ian McKinley, Tito Tebaldi; Alberto de Marchi, Davide Giazzon, Simone Ferrari, Marco Lazzaroni, Marco Fuser, Braam Steyn, Roberto Santamaria, Marco Barbini.
Replacements: Luca Bigi, Federico Zani, Matteo Zanusso, Nicola Quaglio, Vittorio Flammini, Edoardo Gori, Tommaso Allan, Andrea Pratichetti.
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Gareth Newman (Wales), John Carvill (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 1/20; Draw: 35/1; Benetton Treviso to win: 10/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “After an important result last week, it’s great to be back at home for another crucial game in the GUINNESS PRO12. We know we are expected to win this game against Treviso on Saturday but we can only do that on the back of solid preparation.
“It’s been a good week together as a squad and we’re excited to get out there to fight for more vital points before attention turns to Champions Cup rugby.”
Tiernan O’Halloran (Connacht) – “Treviso will be tricky opposition. They had a disappointing loss against Munster last weekend but will have a few internationals back this week after their November campaign finished up.
“It’s the same as always with Treviso; they will be very physical, will use their pack a lot and will try and get a dominant scrum as well. Our forwards know they need to front up there. The backs know that if we can get some good quality ball we can do some damage.
“We’re back at home again where we’ve won the last four games, so it’s important we impose ourselves in those first 20 minutes, get an early lead and push on from there. It’s going to be difficult but we must put the heads down.
“Against Treviso last year, we didn’t get our bonus point at the Sportsground, and with two games left in the regular season we were first in the PRO12 and we lost on the road against them which prevented us from finishing top of the table.
“We have some big players coming back from injury right now and we need guys to be as sharp as they can be. If we could get another win this weekend that would be two on the bounce going into the Champions Cup with a lot of confidence.”
Top Scorers – 2016/17 GUINNESS PRO12: Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 45; Tries: Niyi Adeolokun 4; Benetton Treviso – Points: Tommaso Allan 37; Tries: Marco Fuser 3
2016/17 TEAM FORM: Connacht – Played 8, Won 3, Lost 5, 15 Points; L 41-5 v Glasgow Warriors (home), L 32-11 v Ospreys (home), L 17-8 v Scarlets (away), W 28-15 v Edinburgh (home), W 30-25 v Ulster (home), L 24-13 v Leinster (away), L 21-16 v Newport Gwent Dragons (away), W 18-7 v Cardiff Blues (home); Benetton Treviso – Played 9, Won 1, Lost 8, 6 Points; L 20-8 v Leinster (away), L 22-11 v Ulster (home), L 64-10 v Ospreys (away), W 27-11 v Newport Gwent Dragons (home), L 22-6 v Scarlets (home), L 45-10 v Edinburgh (away), L 31-14 v Glasgow Warriors (away), L 34-28 v Cardiff Blues (home), L 46-3 v Munster (away)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, October 4, 2013 – Benetton Treviso 23 Connacht 3, Stadio di Monigo
Saturday, March 1, 2014 – Connacht 38 Benetton Treviso 6, the Sportsground
Friday, October 10, 2014 – Benetton Treviso 6 Connacht 9, Stadio di Monigo
Sunday, March 1, 2015 – Connacht 53 Benetton Treviso 5, the Sportsground
Friday, November 6, 2015 – Connacht 33 Benetton Treviso 19, the Sportsground
Friday, April 29, 2016 – Benetton Treviso 22 Connacht 21, Stadio di Monigo
MATCH FACTS:
– Connacht have won their last four matches at the Sportsground in all tournaments since the Ospreys beat them there in the GUINNESS PRO12 on September 10
– Connacht’s only defeat to an Italian side since October 2013 came when they visited Benetton Treviso in round 21 last season
– Treviso have lost their last five PRO12 fixtures since beating the Newport Gwent Dragons at Stadio di Monigo in round 4
– The Italians are without a win on the road in the PRO12 since beating Zebre in Parma in December 2014
– Each side won their respective home game when the two teams met last season, while Treviso’s only previous success in Galway was 15-13 in December 2011
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