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Pride will be the spur for both Connacht Rugby and Zebre - who cannot qualify for the Heineken Cup or Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals - when they clash at the Sportsground. - 16/01/2013 16:40
Pride will be the spur for both Connacht Rugby and Zebre – who cannot qualify for the Heineken Cup or Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals – when they clash at the Sportsground.
Zebre are Italian rugby’s newest franchise and are in their first season of competitive rugby. They are still looking for their first win in the Heineken Cup or the PRO12 and will be determined to come away with a win from Galway.
The Irish province once again proved they cannot be taken lightly with their unique qualities of stubbornness and teamwork in only their second season in European rugby’s premier tournament.
Pat Lam, who is a Heineken Cup winner and was appointed as the new Connacht coach last week and will take over in the summer, will be hoping his new side qualify for next season’s tournament.
Connacht will be disappointed in the manner of their one-sided 47-8 defeat to Pool winners and Heineken Cup quarter-finals, Harlequins, at the Stoop in their last game of this Pool.
The Irish side will be looking for their third win of the Pool when they host the Italian outfit and they will be looking for a more comprehensive victory that the 19-10 victory they managed in the opening game between the sides in Italy.
Zebre have lost all of their five previous games in the Pool are still looking for their first points in Europe and they will want to prove they can competitive in European rugby.
Match Facts
- Connacht have won their last four round six encounters in all ERC competitions.
- The Irish club have lost three of their last four Heineken Cup games.
- Zebre’s Filippo Ferrarini has made 44 successful tackles in the Heineken Cup this season, the 16th highest total of all players in the tournament and more than any other player from an Italian representative.
- Zebre’s tackle completion rate of 84% is the lowest across the Heineken Cup, who have on average shipped 40 points per game.
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Fetu'u Vainikolo ranks just outside the top 10 for metres made this season. The Connacht winger has managed a 320m gain overall.
Connacht finished their Heineken Cup campaign with a third win but Zebre could so easily have been celebrating an historic first victory at The Sportsground. - 18/01/2013 21:56
Connacht finished their Heineken Cup campaign with a third win but Zebre could so easily have been celebrating an historic first victory at The Sportsground.
The Irish province ensured their second season in Europe’s top competition finished with as many victories as defeats as they edged home 25-20 on Friday night.
Zebre gave as good as they got in Galway and overturned a 13-point deficit to lead 20-19 with 12 minutes remaining but Connacht kept their composure to stop the debutants from registering a maiden triumph in 18 domestic and European fixtures.
The first half was all about the boot, with a quartet of three pointers from Dan Parks handing the hosts a 12-6 lead at the interval.
The former Scotland playmaker struck successful penalties after 10 minutes, 15 minutes and 33 minutes, with a 25th-minute drop goal from the veteran the other scoring method in an opening half that failed to really fire.
Zebre’s points also came from the tee, as former Waratahs No10 Daniel Halangahu slotted penalties after 12 and 27 minutes to keep his side in touch.
A penalty try five minutes after the restart gave Connacht clear water at 19-6 but Zebre refused to give up the fight and Halangahu cut the gap to 10 with his third penalty six minutes later.
Zebre battered away at the Connacht line with 56 minutes gone but Luca Martinelli’sindecisive show and go at the base of a close-range ruck led to turnover ball as the replacement scrum-half let the hosts off the hook.
But it didn’t take long for Zebre to gain the reward their hard work deserved as Giovanbattista Venditti’s brilliant break from halfway saw them claim the try they looked like registering moments earlier.
Kieran Marmion’s decision to shoot out of the defensive line too quickly left Connacht exposed in midfield and Venditti burst through before offloading to create a two-on-one which Ruggero Trevisan finished off in the left-hand corner with 59 minutes gone.
The TMO was called into action to check whether Tiernan O'Halloran’s last-gasp tackle had forced his opposite man into touch but the decision rightly went in Zebre’s favour as the gap was cut to just two points.
Halangahu missed the chance to level affairs as he sent his touchline conversion wide of the near post but Parks was also off target with a penalty attempt four minutes later.
Zebre took the lead after 68 minutes when Halangahu kept his nerve from 10 metres to the left of the posts and 30 metres out but their one-point advantage was shortlived as a 40-metre effort from Parks pushed Connacht back in front three minutes later.
A second drop goal from Parks sealed the win – and took his tally to 20 – with six minutes left to ensure Connacht finished just three points shy of second-placed Biarritz Olympique in Pool 3.
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