Unbeaten Ulster, who topped Conference B after four rounds, will be confident but must be careful not to underestimate a Zebre side who scored six tries in their last game against the Southern Kings.
GUINNESS PRO14: Saturday, September 30
ZEBRE (5th, Con A) v ULSTER (3rd, Con B), Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 3.35pm local time/2.35pm Irish time (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland/Eurosport Italia)
Team News: Ulster director of rugby Les Kiss has named ten internationals in his starting XV for this afternoon’s GUINNESS PRO14 clash with Zebre at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma.
Andrew Trimble captains the side and will equal Roger Wilson’s record of 221 appearances for Ulster. The 32-year-old has been named on the right wing, with Louis Ludik, on the left wing, and full-back Charles Piutau completing the back-three.
John Cooney and Christian Lealiifano, who have had an impressive start to the season as a new combination, return to occupy the half-back positions, while Luke Marshall will partner Darren Cave in midfield.
Hooker John Andrew will make his first start of the season and is joined in the front row by experienced props Callum Black and Rodney Ah You. Peter Browne and Iain Henderson form a mobile second row partnership, while Kiss has selected a loose forward trio of Matthew Rea, Sean Reidy and Jean Deysel.
Abbey Insurance Academy hooker Adam McBurney, a regular starter for Ballymena in the Ulster Bank League, could make his first competitive appearance for Ulster after being named among the replacements.
Andrew Warwick, Wiehahn Herbst, Kieran Treadwell and Nick Timoney – the try-scoring man-of-the-match in last week’s 52-25 win over the Dragons, will provide further cover for the forwards, while David Shanahan, Peter Nelson and Robert Lyttle are the back-line options in Kiss’ 23-man panel.
Meanwhile, Zebre’s Irish head coach Michael Bradley has made only one change to the side that started last week’s confidence-boosting 43-17 bonus point win away to the Southern Kings.
Tighthead Dario Chistolini replaces Roberto Tenga in the number 3 jersey, while promising Italian youngster Luhandre Luus, who starts on the bench, gets his first call-up of the season after recovering from a pre-season injury.
Argentinian international Eduardo Bello (21) also makes his first appearance on the bench after signing for Zebre over the summer. There is no place for Galway man and former Connacht Academy member Ciaran Gaffney, who has played four times for Zebre in recent weeks, including two starts.
ZEBRE: Matteo Minozzi; Giulio Bisegni, Tommaso Boni, Tommaso Castello (capt), Mattia Bellini; Carlo Canna, Marcello Violi; Andrea Lovotti, Oliviero Fabiani, Dario Chistolini, David Sisi, George Biagi, Giovanni Licata, Johan Meyer, Renato Giammarioli.
Replacements: Luhandre Luus, Sami Panico, Eduardo Bello, Leonard Krumow, Jacopo Sarto, Guglielmo Palazzani, Serafin Bordoli, Giovanbattista Venditti.
ULSTER: Charles Piutau; Andrew Trimble (capt), Darren Cave, Luke Marshall, Louis Ludik; Christian Lealiifano, John Cooney; Callum Black, John Andrew, Rodney Ah You, Peter Browne, Iain Henderson, Matthew Rea, Sean Reidy, Jean Deysel.
Replacements: Adam McBurney, Andrew Warwick, Wiehahn Herbst, Kieran Treadwell, Nick Timoney, David Shanahan, Peter Nelson, Robert Lyttle.
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Andrea Piardi, Manuel Bottino (both Italy)
Television Match Official: Neil Paterson (Scotland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Zebre to win: 6/1; Draw: 30/1; Ulster to win: 1/10
Pre-Match Quotes: Sean Reidy(Ulster) – “It’s a pretty heavy schedule looking at it this next four or five weeks so we’re taking it game by game. We are looking to put in solid performances. We know we’re not getting too carried away, we’re not even looking to Europe, we’ve just crossed off the Dragons after last week.
“We’fe just taking it game by game and concentrating on good performances. It’s been a pretty good start from the boys but, at the same time, we’re not getting too far ahead of ourselves. Last year we had a good start as well and things can change pretty dramatically.
“We’re looking forward to this game and going to Zebre and taking our game with us and putting on a good performance. We’ve looked at their pack this week, Zebre like to maul from various places on the pitch so the forwards are really looking to go after them this week.
“Italy has always been a bit sticky for us, there’s been times when we’ve gone over there and haven’t performed to our full ability. This week we’re looking to go over there and take our game with us and put in a good solid 80 minutes.
“They put in a very good performance last week against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth and scored a lot of points. I’m sure at home they’re going to turn it up so it’s important for us to take our game with us and turn on a full good 80.
“There’s a number of guys last week who really performed against the Dragons and that creates more depth. It’s good to see people pushing each other in training and making sure everyone is working to their best. We all sort of add something a bit different (in the back row ranks) with Clive and Marcel and Jean and Matty Rea, we’re all contributing something a bit different and at this stage it seems to be working really well.
“I just definitely think there’s a lot more depth this year and there’s not as many injuries. But it can all change like that, you can go from full strength to the bare bones. At this stage we’re looking really healthy and guys are really pushing themselves so it’s awesome to see.”
Top Scorers – 2017/18 GUINNESS PRO14: Zebre – Points: Carlo Canna 37; Tries: Mattia Bellini 3; Ulster – Points: John Cooney 28; Tries: Jacob Stockdale 3
2017/18 TEAM FORM: Zebre – Played 4, Won 1, Lost 3, 6 Points; L 22-12 v Ospreys (away), L 41-10 v Scarlets (home), L 54-39 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), W 43-17 v Southern Kings (away); Ulster – Played 4, Won 4, 18 Points; W 42-19 v Toyota Cheetahs (home), W 21-14 v Benetton Rugby (away), W 27-20 v Scarlets (home), W 52-25 v Dragons (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, September 12, 2014 – Ulster 33 Zebre 13, Kingspan Stadium
Saturday, September 27, 2014 – Zebre 13 Ulster 6, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Friday, March 4, 2016 – Ulster 32 Zebre 0, Kingspan Stadium
Saturday, April 16, 2016 – Zebre 17 Ulster 47, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Sunday, February 26, 2017 – Zebre 17 Ulster 40, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Saturday, March 11, 2017 – Ulster 68 Zebre 21, Kingspan Stadium
MATCH FACTS:
– Zebre gained their first victory of the 2017/18 campaign with a 43-17 win over the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth, the first time they have ever claimed a try-scoring bonus point in two successive matches having also gained one in the loss to the Cheetahs the week before
– Zebre won their most recent match against an Irish province: 25-22 over Connacht in Parma last April, their only other victory over such an opponent coming against Ulster at the same venue in September 2014
– Ulster are the only side left in Conference B of the PRO14 with a 100% record after four rounds. Their most recent defeat in the Championship was on a trip to the Ospreys in round 21 last season
– The Ulstermen have won their last eleven clashes with Italian opponents, while their only previous defeat in twenty visits to Italy in all competitions was to Zebre in round four of the 2014/15 season
This website uses cookies.
Read More