Connacht win emphatically against Zebre in Challenge Cup

Westerners produced a dominant display, delivering seven tries against Italian opponents

Connacht’s Chay Mullins scores his third try against Zebre Parma. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Connacht’s Chay Mullins scores his third try against Zebre Parma. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Challenge Cup: Connacht 43 Zebre 12

Paul Boyle had much to celebrate in Connacht’s victory over Zebre Parma in the opening Challenge Cup fixture at Dexcom Stadium on Saturday evening.

Marking his 100th cap for the province, the 27-years-old scored a brace of tries to surpass former backrow, captain, and now coach, John Muldoon, as Connacht’s top try-scoring forward.

Boyle co-captained the side alongside Caolin Blade, earning his 200th cap – the pair having also won their Irish caps together.

“To get my 100th cap is a real honour,” said Boyle. “I’ve was made to feel at home the minute I got here, and I shared it with Blade. There has always been that kind of synergy between us, so having my family in the changing room along with his family was such an honour.”

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They both played their part in a dominant Connacht display, producing seven tries against the Italians in windy conditions.

“[It was] important we got the points and asserted ourselves,” said head coach Pete Wilkins. “We had to hold our nerve into the wind, but pleased we accelerated in the second half.”

Despite Zebre enjoying the benefit of the strong wind in the opening half, Connacht went in to the break 17-5 ahead.

The Italians had taken a 5-0 lead after just seven minutes. Profiting from a lineout kicked to touch, hooker Stavile Bravin darted over for the opening points. But the wind had its say, with fullback Giovanni sending the conversion and a subsequent penalty wide.

Full of confidence, Zebre continued to dominate possession, and with Connacht’s discipline found wanting the home side needed to produce a huge defensive effort to stymie the Italian maul just yards from the line.

And within minutes the home side delivered the ideal try to boost their challenge. From a scrum penalty, Boyle and Blade combined down the right wing before Chay Mullins, making his Connacht debut, finished with a length-of-the-field burst to claim his first try – the wind again defeating the attempted conversion.

Thereafter Connacht took control when Dylan Tierney-Martin, supported by Forde and Blade, claimed the second try.

Zebre carved their chances but were unable to reap the reward when Rusiate Nasove was carded for a neck roll with the line in sight. It didn’t get any better for the Italians after the restart when Boyle claimed the fourth try and bonus point within three minutes, Carty adding the extras to stretch the lead to 24-5.

Zebre’s puff dissolved as Connacht, with a stranglehold on the game and the wind at their backs, closed out the game. Boyle was on hand to provide Mullins for Connacht’s fifth try and a hat-trick for the debutant.

And in winning the man of the match award, Mullins became the fourth Connacht player to deliver three tries against a Zebre side, joining Matt Healy, Stacey Illi and Tierney-Martin.

In the closing 10 minutes, Santiago Cordero added a well-deserved try, debutant Sean Naughton grabbed his first senior points with two conversions, and Boyle bagged his second try in a solid opener for Wilkins’ men.

Scoring sequence: 6 min: Bravin try 0-5; 22: Mullins try 5-5; 28: Mullins try, Carty con 12-5; 34: Tierney-Martin try 17-5; Half-time 17-5; 42: Boyle try, Carty con 24-5; 62: Mullins try 29-5; 70: Cordero try, Naughton con 36-5; 76: Da Rae try, Da Rae con 36-12; 80: Boyle try, Naughton con 43-12.

CONNACHT: S Jennings, C Mullins, D Hawkshaw, C Forde (co-capt), S Cordero, J Carty, C Blade, J Duggan, D Tierney-Martin, J Aungier, D Murray, O Dowling, J Murphy, S Hurley-Langton, P Boyle (co-capt).

Replacements: D O’Connor for Dowling, M Devine for Blade, S Naughton for Carty, B Ralston for Hawkshaw (all 59), T Lasisi for Duggan, E de Buitléar for Tierney-Martin, F Barrett for Aungier (all 61), O McCormack for Murphy (65).

ZEBRE PARMA: G Montemauri, F Bozzoni, F Drago, E Lucchin, S Gesi, G da Re, T Dominguez, P Buonfiglio, L Bigi (capt), M Hasa, M Canali, Leonardo Krumov, G Milano, B Stavile Bravin, G Ferrari.

Replacements: G Ribaldi for Bigi (6 mins), L Andreani for Canali, A Fusco for Dominguez (both 22), L Rizzoli for Buonfiglio (30), S Gregory for Montemauri (31 mins), R Nasove for Ferrari (35), M Nocera for Hasa (50), J Bianchi for Stavile (54).

Referee: Adam Jones (WRU).