Connacht pushed home their advantage in the scrum in the first half as they raced clear of hosts Zebre to become the fourth Irish province to win on the road in the RaboDirect PRO12 this weekend.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: ZEBRE 19 CONNACHT 27
Pat Lam’s men made it back-to-back victories in the league as they climbed to 10th in the table, one place above Benetton Treviso who visit them in Galway next Saturday.
Tries from Rodney Ah You, Kieran Marmion and Eoin Griffin, as well as a penalty try awarded in the first half, secured the bonus point for the westerners.
It was a day of firsts for Connacht as it was their maiden away win and first try-scoring bonus point in this season’s PRO12.
Prop Ah You’s fifth-minute opener was his first league try since the 2011/12 campaign, while Griffin touched down for the first time this season and Marmion’s 26th-minute score was his third of the current league run.
Experienced out-half Dan Parks chipped in with seven points during Connacht’s fourth win of the season over the Italian club.
Parks put the first points on the board, splitting the posts with a penalty kick in the third minute. Connacht quickly got back on the attack and a driving maul from a lineout allowed man-of-the-match Ah You to touch down for the opening try. Parks’ conversion attempt went wide.
Zebre enjoyed some possession in the Connacht half and won a penalty at a scrum. Former Connacht back Troy Nathan, playing with Zebre today as a permit player from Lazio Rugby, stepped up to take the penalty but was off target and the home side remained scoreless.
An impressive break from winger Fionn Carr brought play up in to the Zebre 22 and a series of Connacht scrums followed.
Zebre’s loosehead prop Salvatore Perugini was punished with a yellow card for numerous infringements, and a subsequent five-metre scrum allowed scrum half Marmion to dive over for try number two. Parks was on target with the conversion kick for a 15-0 lead.
Zebre battled back immediately and they celebrated a try through replacement prop Andrea de Marchi in the corner. But on consulting the television match official, referee Ian Davies ruled that his foot had gone into touch as a result of a try-saving tackle from Tiernan O’Halloran.
Turning over Zebre ball in midfield, Griffin made a huge break on the half hour mark, offloading to his centre partner Dave McSharry.
Winning a penalty in the opposition 22, Connacht once again showed their dominance at the scrum. Referee Davies had no choice but to award the penalty try which Parks converted with ease, making it 22-0 for half-time.
Connacht secured the bonus point with try number four coming 16 minutes into the second half. McSharry did well to scoop up a loose ball, after Zebre failed to deal with a garryowen from Parks, and he fed Griffin to go over in the left corner. The conversion went wide but Zebre were still scoreless approaching the final quarter.
However, the Italian side hit their stride soon after when winger Giovanbattista Venditti got them on the scoreboard with a nicely created try in the right corner which Nathan converted.
It was not long until they closed the gap even further when a well-worked move from a five-metre lineout set up Samuela Vunisa for an unconverted effort.
Zebre pushed Connacht even closer when their captain Andries van Schalkwyk crossed for their third try in 20 minutes, taking advantage after replacement George Naoupu was disrupted at the back of a scrum near the visitors’ posts.
Nathan’s replacement Alberto Chillon converted the 78th minute score to reduce the deficit to eight points but the hosts’ spirited comeback fell short, leaving them without a losing bonus point.
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