Connacht ran in six tries when they travelled to Parma last February, and a similar bonus point win against Zebre would offer them a timely boost after such a disappointing start to the new season.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, September 17
ZEBRE (9th) v CONNACHT (12th), Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 6.05pm local time/5.05pm Irish time
Team News: The Connacht team to face Zebre in the first away game of the season has been named. Head coach Pat Lam has made six personnel changes to the side that lined out against Ospreys last weekend.
Bundee Aki and Eoin Griffin swap positions in midfield while 22-year-old Cian Kelleher starts on the left wing after making his Connacht debut at fullback in round 1. Caolin Blade is also reintroduced at scrum half.
Up front, Denis Buckley returns from injury at loosehead prop and JP Cooney starts at tighthead in the absence of Finlay Bealham who misses out due to illness this week. There is a new second row partnership of Lewis Stevenson and Andrew Browne.
Ireland internationals Ultan Dillane, Kieran Marmion and Matt Healy are all included among the replacements, while prop Conor Carey is in line to make his Connacht debut in Italy this evening (kick-off 6.05pm local time/5.05pm irish time).
Meanwhile, Zebre boss Gianluca Guidi has made three changes to the team that lost 11-6 away to the Newport Gwent Dragons in the previous round.
Edoardo Padovani and Giovanbattista Venditti come into the back-three alongside Gabriele di Giulio, while Federico Ruzza replaces the injured Dries van Schalkwyk at number 8. South Africans Derick Minnie and Kayle van Zyl and Argentinian prop Bruno Postiglioni are poised to make their seasonal bows off the bench.
Zebre’s starting line-up contains 14 Italian internationals, including 23-year-old flanker Maxime Mbanda who won his first cap against the USA in June. Only number 8 Ruzza is yet to be capped by the Azzurri.
ZEBRE: Edoardo Padovani; Gabriele di Giulio, Giulio Bisegni, Tommaso Boni, Giovanbattista Venditti; Carlo Canna, Guglielmo Palazzani; Andrea de Marchi, Oliviero Fabiani, Pietro Ceccarelli, Quintin Geldenhuys, George Biagi (capt), Jacopo Sarto, Maxime Mbanda, Federico Ruzza.
Replacements: Tommaso d’Apice, Bruno Postiglioni, Guillermo Roan/Dario Chistolini, Gideon Koegelenberg, Derick Minnie, Carlo Engelbrecht, Tommaso Castello, Kayle van Zyl.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Niyi Adeolokun, Bundee Aki, Eoin Griffin, Cian Kelleher; Jack Carty, Caolin Blade; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, JP Cooney, Lewis Stevenson, Andrew Browne, Eoin McKeon, James Connolly, John Muldoon (capt).
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Ronan Loughney, Conor Carey, Ultan Dillane, Rory Moloney, Kieran Marmion, Shane O’Leary, Matt Healy.
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Adam Jones (Wales), Riccardo Angelucci (Italy)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Zebre to win: 3/1; Draw: 30/1; Connacht to win: 1/4
Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “Zebre are a team we know well having played them 12 times in the past four seasons. Our good record against them is due the respect we give them in our preparation and this week has been no different.
“With this being their first game home game of the season, we understand the tough challenge ahead of us on Saturday. Despite the injuries and changes in personnel, our focus has been on continued improvement throughout our game and our roles. We’re looking forward to taking another step up in our performance.”
Top Scorers – 2016/17 GUINNESS PRO12: Zebre – Points: Carlo Canna 6; Tries: Tommaso d’Apice 1; Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 6; Tries: Niyi Adeolokun, Eoin McKeon 1 each
2016/17 TEAM FORM: Zebre – Played 2, Lost 2, 1 Point; L 59-5 v Ospreys (away), L 11-6 v Newport Gwent Dragons (away); Connacht – Played 2, Lost 2, 0 Points; L 41-5 v Glasgow Warriors (home), L 32-11 v Ospreys (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
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
Saturday, May 9, 2015 – Zebre 10 Connacht 40, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Friday, October 16, 2015 – Connacht 34 Zebre 15, the Sportsground
Saturday, February 20, 2016 – Zebre 34 Connacht 51, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
MATCH FACTS:
– Zebre are the only side in the GUINNESS PRO12 yet to have played at home this season
– Zebre won their most recent game in Parma, 47-22 against the Dragons in round 22 last season, but have not won successive matches at the venue since last October
– Reigning GUINNESS PRO12 champions Connacht have begun the defence of their title with a pair of home defeats, to Glasgow Warriors and the Ospreys
– Connacht have not won away from home since beating Edinburgh at BT Murrayfield in early March, while their only defeat in Italy since October 2013 came on their most recent visit to Treviso in April
– Connacht have a perfect played 12, won 12 record against Zebre in all competitions
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