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E' dei Cherry & White la vittoria più larga della prima giornata di Challenge Cup in cui altre 5 squadre hanno conquistato il successo con il bonus offensivo. - 19/10/2014 11:30
Gloucester and Zebre have impressed in the opening rounds but their inconsistency leaves this game wide open.
It is hard to judge whether this will be a points-festival or a stalemate between two solid defences. Gloucester boast both the highest-points scorer and highest try-scorer in the Challenge Cup so far this season.
Greig Laidlaw’s 32 points and three tries from Charlie Sharples have helped the Cherry & Whites to victories over French pair Brive and Oyonnax. They have never lost to Italian opposition and last week moved up to ninth in the Aviva Premiership thanks to victory over London Irish.
But maintaining that winning feeling has proved difficult for David Humphreys’ side who have yet to string together more than two wins.
Humphreys said: “Our challenge now over the coming weeks is to integrate our international players back into the squad and keep that winning habit in Europe and build some momentum for a crucial stage in the season.”
Zebre similarly warmed up for a return to Europe with victory, 18-10 over Edinburgh, that lifted them to 10th in the Guinness Pro12. Their defence has also proved remarkably efficient in the tackle area having conceded the fewest turnovers of any team in the tournament.
And in fly-half Edoardo Padovani, they also possess the second highest-points scorer in the cup with 25 points.
Zebre also have plenty of inside knowledge of Kingsholm with three of their team, Dario Christolini, Tommaso D’Apice and veteran Marco Bortolami all having had spells with Gloucester. Former Italy lock Bortolami captained the west country side during a four-year spell.
Bortolami said: “Gloucester start as favourites and people see them as the stronger team. It will be tough for us, especially at Kingsholm, but we have to make like as hard as possible for them.“We have played at Ravenhill and other difficult stadiums and when we’re at our best we can play good rugby.”
Match Facts
- Gloucester Rugby have never faced Zebre in the Challenge Cup, but have faced Italian opposition on six occasions winning all six by an average margin of 53 points.
- Zebre have averaged 25 points in their first two games of the competition; the average points-per-game for Italian teams in the last five seasons of the Challenge Cup (since 2009/10) is just 11 points.
- Gloucester Rugby are yet to concede a try in this season’s tournament.
- Zebre have conceded fewer turnovers in this season’s Challenge Cup than any other side, averaging just 9.5 per game so far.
Il n'y a pas eu de retour heureux à Kingsholm pour Marco Bortolami. Avec ses Zebre
There was no happy return to Kingsholm for Marco Bortolami as his Zebre side were beaten 35-10 as Gloucester took firm control of European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 5.
It was the west countrymen’s third successive win as they moved six points clear of Oyonnax in the race for the quarter-finals. It was a second defeat for Bortolami’s men, who must now win the return leg next weekend to stay in the hunt.
Returning to the ground where he used to captain the Aviva Premiership side, the Italian legend would have been pleased with the opening period of the game as he team responded to Greig Laidlaw’s early penalty with a great try from full back Hennie Daniller.
Zebre went through the phases and Luciano Orquera kicked through to the line when Daniller won the race for the ball and the try. Orquera couldn’t convert and was also off the mark with a penalty on the stroke of half time and a second conversion attempt in the second half.
Stung into action by that Daniller try Gloucester stepped up the pace in their game and used their pack to make ground. Full back Stevie McColl marked his European debut with a smart try and James Hook wrapped around one of his forwards to slice through for a second.
Laidlaw converted the first and added two more penalties to make up the home side’s 21 points, but it was Zebre who struck first in the second half when some direct approach work from the forwards on the right hand side of the home 22 paved the way for a try in the left corner by Michele Visentin.
That try came in the 45th minute and Gloucester weren’t able to add to their first half tally until nine minutes from time, when the outstanding Matt Kvesic ignored two men outside him and carried three Zebre defenders over the lie with him for a try which Billy Burns converted.
That gave Gloucester nine minutes to find a bonus point try and they didn’t have to wait long. Good work up the left wing from Henry Purdy took them to the edge of the Zebre 22 and his inside pass was hacked on and over the line for Mark Atkinson to pounce.
Burns added the extras and the job was completed.
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