Wingers Matt Healy and Niyi Adeolokun weighed in with five of Connacht’s six tries as they battled past Zebre for another bonus point win (51-34) in the GUINNESS PRO12.
Matt Healy and Ireland scrum half Kieran Marmion crossed for Connacht and Johan Meyer responded for Zebre just before half-time, but that was only the tip of the iceberg.
Connacht – already the league’s top try-scorers with 36 tries before the game – found more joy through the fleet-footed Healy (2) and Niyi Adeolokun (2) as the visitors continued to create attacking opportunities.
Kelly Haimona, who landed four conversions and two penalties, and Dries van Schalkwyk also scored to make sure Pat Lam’s men did not have it all their own way at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.
Federico Ruzza also touched down for the hosts but Connacht, who were also helped along by AJ MacGinty’s 12-point haul, got the result which sees them move to the top of the table ahead of Ulster’s showdown with the Scarlets tomorrow.
Connacht had won on their last four trips to Italy and they started brightly here after a surging Marmion offloaded to Eoin McKeon, who smashed into Zebre’s 22 and drew a penalty which Craig Ronaldson converted for 3-0.
Zebre responded strongly and set up camp deep into Connacht territory and after a heavy spell of pressure, the visitors were pinged at the breakdown and Italian international Haimona levelled the scores.
But a magical move involving Bundee Aki and Tiernan O’Halloran saw Connacht cross in the 16th minute, Healy the beneficiary of their fine handling.
Ronaldson added the extras before Zebre went back up the field, Connacht were penalised for going off their feet and Haimona kicked his second penalty.
Again the green shirts wasted little time in storming back as the quick-thinking Marmion took a tap penalty and reached over the whitewash. Ronaldson added the extras and Connacht found themselves 17-6 up midway through the first half.
Inaccuracy was costing Zebre at the other end, as a promising move was scuppered when the ball was flung out to touch, though they went close shortly after the half hour mark. TMO Stefano Penne was consulted following a series of pick-and-goes, but Zebre were ruled to have been held up.
Gianluca Guidi’s side were not to be denied in the 38th minute as they took advantage from a lineout – following a Kayle van Zyl break – and flanker Meyer rumbled over with Haimona converting.
Just the four points were in it at the interval (17-13) and Ronaldson failed to extend Connacht’s lead when the teams came back out after his penalty rebounded off the post.
Try number three for Connacht came soon after though, as Healy took a great pass from MacGinty and touched down for his ninth try of the season in all competitions. Ronaldson’s conversion widened the margin to 11 points.
Zebre refused to give up and got a try back within a minute, Haimona stretching out to score before adding the conversion for good measure. In worse news for Connacht, injured back rower Eoghan Masterson left the pitch on a stretcher, but Healy restored some smiles in the 48th minute.
The in-form winger completed his hat-trick – and secured the bonus point in the process – after latching onto a well-delivered chip from MacGinty. The conversion was supplied once more by Ronaldson.
Incredibly the tries kept flowing, first an intercept try for van Schalkwyk who ran the length of the field to score. Three minutes later, the eager Adeolokun got in the act for Connacht following a long pass from O’Halloran, and MacGinty converted before slotting a penalty.
But the game was surely beyond Zebre when the magical MacGinty teed up Adeolokun for his second try of the game – leaving the score at 48-27 on 66 minutes.
Zebre at least ensured they would take away a try-scoring bonus point when replacement lock Ruzza crashed over. MacGinty then continued his perfect form with the boot by scoring another penalty, and with ten minutes remaining that was the last score of a helter-skelter second half.
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