Connacht’s hopes of breaking into the URC top eight gather greater urgency when they face Zebre Parma in Italy on Saturday afternoon at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi (3.05pm). With every game now counting, Connacht’s task becomes more pressing as Andy Friend’s side sits just outside the cut-off point in 10th place.
“We travel to Italy conscious that we’ll be up against a good Zebre side eager to get their first win of the season, but also confident we can get the job done if we play to our abilities,” says Friend. “Everyone enjoyed a well-earned break after the Lions game, and now it’s all about getting back to work and playing our best rugby.”
Connacht are well capable of securing the necessary points against a side sitting bottom of the URC table. With just seven points – all bonus points – Zebre have yet to win a game in the 13 played to date. But that can make the Italians trickier opposition, and Connacht will be mindful of previous such meetings from which they escaped with 22-20 and 5-6 victories.
However, nothing but a win will be acceptable for departing coaching director Friend on his last trip to Parma.
“We put ourselves in a position where these remaining six games – five URC and one Challenge Cup – are all must-wins if we want to keep going forward – this is a vital game for us. Zebre haven’t won a game, but they have pushed good teams close. We know they will be targeting us, so this is an opportunity for us to continue to rack up points, but we will have to be good.”
Zebre head coach Fabio Roselli, the former winger with 16 Italian caps, may not have enjoyed the best season in charge, but he is looking for his side, which welcomes the return of its internationals, to capitalise on any opportunities presented to them.
“It will be an exciting game,” he says. “Connacht play good rugby, they love to impose themselves in the territorial battle, but this opens up a lot of opportunities for us in the counterattacks, although we know we have to improve the efficiency of our play.
“We are very proud to play in front of our families and our public, and we are very happy to welcome back to the team Antonio Rizzi after a long injury.
“We have the opportunity to involve several players from the national team in the match, we have everything we need to be able to compete for the result from the first to the last minute, just as we did in the previous matches without succeeding.”
Connacht have retained the majority of players who enjoyed a bonus-point win over the Emirates Lions, with just three changes in the pack.
Denis Buckley comes in for Peter Dooley, hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin starts for Shane Delahunt, and Darragh Murray is replaced by Cian Prendergast, joining Niall Murray, who wins his 50th cap for Connacht. Also in line for his first cap is hooker Eoin de Buitléar, who is named among the replacements.
ZEBRE PARMA: Lorenzo Pani; Kobus van Wyk, Erich Cronjé, Enrico Lucchin (capt), Simone Gesi; Tiff Eden, Chris Cook; Luca Rizzoli, Marco Manfredi, Matteo Nocera; Leonard Krumov, Josh Furno; Luca Andreani, Matt Kvesic, Giovanni Licata.
Replacements: Giampietro Ribaldi, Paolo Buonfiglio, Muhamed Hasa, Jan Uys, Davide Ruggeri, Ratko Jelic, Antonio Rizzi, Richard Kriel
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Diarmuid Kilgallen, Tom Farrell, Cathal Forde, John Porch; Jack Carty (capt), Caolin Blade; Denis Buckley, Dylan Tierney-Martin, Jack Aungier; Josh Murphy, Niall Murray; Cian Prendergast, Conor Oliver, Jarrad Butler.
Replacements: Eoin de Buitléar, Jordan Duggan, Sam Illo, Darragh Murray, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Kieran Marmion, Tom Daly, Adam Byrne.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU).
