Having lost in agonising fashion to Glasgow Warriors in the opening round, Connacht will be doubly determined to get over the finish line against Zebre and provide new head coach Andy Friend with his first GUINNESS PRO14 win.
GUINNESS PRO14: Saturday, September 8
CONNACHT (6th, Con A) v ZEBRE (3rd, Con A), the Sportsground, 5.15pm (live TG4/Premier Sports/DAZN)
Team News: Back rower Sean O’Brien and lock Gavin Thornbury have both returned from injury to start for Andy Friend’s Connacht against Zebre at the Sportsground this evening.
Centre Eoin Griffin and lock Quinn Roux, who came off the bench against Glasgow Warriors last Saturday, are the other two changes to the side that lost by the narrowest of margins in the opening round of the GUINNESS PRO14.
O’Brien comes into a back row that includes captain Jarrad Butler at openside and Academy player Paul Boyle who moves to number 8 for his second start of the season. New signing Colby Fainga’a increases Connacht’s back row options as he is named among the replacements for the visit of the Italians – match tickets are available to buy here.
Jack Carty and Caolin Blade continue their half-back partnership with returning Ireland international Kieran Marmion added to the matchday 23. In-form winger Cian Kelleher features in an unchanged back-three with Matt Healy and full-back Tiernan O’Halloran.
Following confirmation of the team line-up, Connacht head coach Friend said: “We have picked a strong side again this week and I’m satisfied that we are seeing some real competition in the squad. With the Eagles side playing Munster in the new Celtic Cup, all of our available players will get game-time this weekend.
“We are well aware of the challenge that Zebre pose. From what I have seen of them they are a big physical side who are well able to throw the ball around. We are expecting another big crowd at the Sportsground and a similar atmosphere to what we witnessed last weekend.”
Meanwhile, former Connacht boss Michael Bradley brings his Zebre side back to the scene of the club’s first ever victory on Irish soil – last February’s 19-11 defeat of the westerners. They return to Galway in winning form thanks to last week’s 32-16 bonus point success at home to the Isuzu Southern Kings.
However, the first round win came at a cost as Italian international Matteo Minozzi suffered a serious knee injury during the game. He underwent surgery on his ACL in Rome this week. Edoardo Padovani, who replaced him early on against the Kings, continues at full-back.
Nicolas de Battista, the former Cornish Pirates captain, will make his PRO14 debut at inside centre, while there are two further changes up front where 21-year-old tighthead Giosué Zilocchi comes in for his second Championship appearance, and Tongan flanker Matu Tevi, who signed from North Harbour, is another debutant for the Parma-based club.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Cian Kelleher, Eoin Griffin, Kyle Godwin, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Caolin Blade; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Gavin Thornbury, Quinn Roux, Sean O’Brien, Jarrad Butler (capt), Paul Boyle.
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Conan O’Donnell, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, James Cannon, Colby Fainga’a, Kieran Marmion, Craig Ronaldson, Niyi Adeolokun.
ZEBRE: Edoardo Padovani; Mattia Bellini, Giulio Bisegni, Nicolas de Battista, Giovanbattista Venditti; Carlo Canna, Marcello Violi; Andrea Lovotti, Oliviero Fabiani, Giosué Zilocchi, David Sisi, George Biagi (capt), Matu Tevi, Johan Meyer, Renato Giammarioli.
Replacements: Massimo Ceciliani, Daniele Rimpelli, Roberto Tenga, Apisai Tauyavuca, Jimmy Tuivaiti, Guglielmo Palazzani, Francois Brummer, Tommaso Boni.
Referee: Lloyd Linton (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Finlay Brown (Scotland), John Carvill (Ireland)
Television Match Official: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 1/8; Draw: 22/1; Zebre to win: 5/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Denis Buckley (Connacht) – “It’s up to us to come out all guns blazing. Zebre are going to try and dominate us up front and we have to be prepared. We have to meet fire with fire and dominate that facet of the game.
“When stuff like that doesn’t go to plan, especially scrummaging, being a prop I really can’t wait to get out onto the pitch and put that right. I know that feeling is reciprocated throughout the squad. There were other parts of the game that we performed really well in (against Glasgow) but if you look at scrums and mauls, the cornerstone of a forward pack’s performance, it wasn’t good enough.
“When we saw the schedule at the start of the season, it’s great to have so many home games but what comes with that is the bit of pressure where you have to perform. If you don’t perform and you don’t get the results it’s going to be tough.
“You are putting yourself under pressure and you have to go and get some big results on the road. Even though it’s just the second game of the season we have to get a result. It’s been all about Glasgow, the Scarlets and Leinster in the month of the champions. There hasn’t been much said about Zebre. But they beat us home and away last year.
“They are a really good team, full of internationals, and are getting better every year. They had a dominant win last week over the Kings. With how we performed last week they are going to come after us with their big pack. It gives us the opportunity to right some of the things we got wrong last weekend, and kick-start our season.”
Top Scorers – 2018/19 GUINNESS PRO14: Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 16; Tries: Cian Kelleher, Finlay Bealham 1 each; Zebre – Points: Carlo Canna 12; Tries: Oliviero Fabiani, Jimmy Tuivaiti, Apisai Tauyavuca, Mattia Bellini 1 each
2018/19 TEAM FORM: Connacht – Played 1, Lost 1, 1 Point; L 27-26 v Glasgow Warriors (home); Zebre – Played 1, Won 1, 5 Points; W 32-16 v Isuzu Southern Kings (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, October 16, 2015 – Connacht 34 Zebre 15, the Sportsground
Saturday, February 20, 2016 – Zebre 34 Connacht 51, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Friday, March 3, 2017 – Connacht 33 Zebre 3, the Sportsground
Saturday, April 1, 2017 – Zebre 25 Connacht 22, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Saturday, December 2, 2017 – Zebre 24 Connacht 10, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Friday, February 16, 2018 – Connacht 11 Zebre 19, the Sportsground
MATCH FACTS:
– Connacht lost by the narrowest of margins to Glasgow Warriors in Galway last Saturday and have now won just one of their last six GUINNESS PRO14 matches
– Connacht won their most recent match against Italian opponents: 22-19 in Treviso in February to end a three-game losing run against Italian sides
– Zebre racked up a fourth successive PRO14 victory (three with maximum points) at home to the Isuzu Southern Kings in round 1
– Zebre’s only previous triumph away to an Irish province came in this equivalent fixture in Galway last season
– The two sides have met on eighteen previous occasions in all competitions with Connacht winning the first fifteen and Zebre the most recent three
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