GUINNESS PRO12 Preview: Connacht v Benetton Treviso

Connacht could match their best run in the GUINNESS PRO12 since 2002 with a fifth successive win over bottom side Benetton Treviso in Galway tonight.

GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, November 6

CONNACHT (2nd) v BENETTON TREVISO (12th), the Sportsground, 7.30pm (live Galway Bay FM)

Team News: Ireland international Robbie Henshaw will start in the full-back position for Connacht’s GUINNESS PRO12 clash with Benetton Treviso at the Sportsground.

Henshaw, in his first appearance for Connacht since the Rugby World Cup, is one of six personnel changes to Pat Lam’s side from last Saturday’s win over Edinburgh.

Last week’s man-of-the-match Tiernan O’Halloran shifts to the right wing in a slightly changed back-line that also sees scrum half John Cooney come in for his second start of the season.

In the pack, Dave Heffernan and Ireland international Nathan White are introduced to the front row, while Ultan Dillane comes into the second row to partner Andrew Browne, who is playing his 100th PRO12 game.

Galway man Eoin McKeon returns to the back row to link up with captain John Muldoon and New Zealander Nepia Fox-Matamua, the scorer of three tries so far this season.

From the bench, USA international outhalf AJ MacGinty could make his Connacht debut after linking up with the westerners last month.

Meanwhile, five days on from their 27-3 loss at home to Leinster, Benetton Treviso boss Umberto Casellato has made six personnel changes and a positional switch to the team.

Andrea Pratichetti reverts to the right wing, taking over from Ludovico Nitoglia who was sin-binned last time out. Tommaso Iannone, who made a positive impact off the bench against Leinster, and Enrico Bacchin will start together in the centre with Alberto Lucchese getting the nod at scrum half.

Hooker Luca Bigi joins Matteo Zanusso and Rupert Harden in the front row, while Jeff Montauriol will partner Filo Paulo in the second row and Marco Barbini replaces Francesco Minto at blindside flanker.

CONNACHT: Robbie Henshaw; Tiernan O’Halloran, Bundee Aki, Craig Ronaldson, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, John Cooney; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Nathan White, Ultan Dillane, Andrew Browne, John Muldoon (capt), Nepia Fox-Matamua, Eoin McKeon.

Replacements: Tom McCartney, Finlay Bealham, Rodney Ah You, Aly Muldowney, Eoghan Masterson, Kieran Marmion, AJ MacGinty, Darragh Leader.

BENETTON TREVISO: Jayden Hayward; Andrea Pratichetti, Tommaso Iannone, Enrico Bacchin, Simone Ragusi; Luke McLean, Alberto Lucchese; Matteo Zanusso, Luca Bigi, Rupert Harden, Filo Paulo, Jeff Montauriol, Marco Barbini, Alessandro Zanni (capt), Braam Steyn.

Replacements: Davide Giazzon, Matteo Muccignat, Simone Ferrari, Dean Budd, Marco Lazzaroni, Andrea de Marchi, Edoardo Gori, Sam Christie.

Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Kieran Barry, Ken Imbusch (both Ireland)

Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 1/14; Draw: 35/1; Benetton Treviso to win: 15/2

Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “We’ve made a few changes this week, with Robbie and Nathan back for us but also some guys returning from injury. This is only game four of the 16-game run so it’s a long way to go and we’re going to need players feeling as fresh as possible each week.

“Robbie will start in the number 15 shirt for us where he has a lot of experience from his earlier days at Connacht. Obviously Tiernan has done a great job for us at full-back since the start of the season, but his move to wing for this game means we can keep that continuity in our centre partnership for this week.

“We always have tough, physical battles when it comes to Treviso and we’ve always had to work hard against them. They have the ability to pile on the pressure and it’s up to us to counter that by being disciplined to stay in our systems and structures.

“We’re delighted to be at home again and we want to sign off this block of PRO12 games with another win at the Sportsground.”

Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 52; Tries: Nepia Fox-Matamua, Danie Poolman 3 each; Benetton Treviso – Points: Jayden Hayward 51; Tries: Dean Budd, Andrea Pratichetti, Duncan Naude, Sam Christie, Jayden Hayward, James Ambrosini, Luca Bigi 1 each

RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:

Saturday, November 3, 2012 – Connacht 18 Benetton Treviso 3, the Sportsground
Friday, April 26, 2013 – Benetton Treviso 23 Connacht 23, Stadio di Monigo
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

MATCH FACTS:

– Connacht have won their last four matches in the GUINNESS PRO12, while their only defeat so far this season was by a solitary point at Glasgow Warriors in round 2

– Connacht have not won five in a row in the competition since 2002

– Benetton Treviso are without a win in the PRO12 since beating Cardiff Blues at Stadio di Monigo last February (13 rounds ago)

– The Italians have not beaten Irish opposition since Connacht visited Treviso in October 2013

– Connacht have won their last three encounters with Treviso, while the Italian club’s only victory in the last six contests between the two sides was 23-3 at Stadio di Monigo on October 4, 2013