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European newcomers Oyonnax begin their first Amlin Challenge Cup clash against Worcester Warriors at Stade Charles Mathon on Saturday. - 08/10/2013 10:46
Zebre could win three games in a single Challenge Cup campaign for their first time in their history if they can get the better of Pool 4 bottom side Worcester Warriors.
The Italian side beat the Warriors 27-8 at a rainswept Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi at the end of November and will be hoping to repeat the feat to secure a club-record third win.
Zebre sit second in pool four nine points behind runaway leaders Gloucester so would need an extraordinary end to their campaign to secure qualification but three wins would represent big progress for the club.
Aviva Premiership side Warriors have had a campaign to forget as they concentrate on survival in their domestic competition.
After opening their campaign with a solid 19-3 win over La Rochelle at Sixways they’ve suffered three consecutive defeats to leave them rooted to the bottom of pool four with just four points.
The competition has offered director of rugby Dean Ryan the opportunity to test some of his younger squad members and although qualification is long gone, they will be keen for a positive outcome in their final two fixtures.
They pushed in-form Wasps all the way in the Premiership this weekend before going down 32-22 but Ryan will hope this side can take the positives out of their narrow defeat and keep some of the momentum going against Zebre.
Match Facts
- Zebre have won two matches so far this season, another win would make it their most in a single Challenge Cup campaign.
- Zebre won the last, and only, clash between these sides but have won only once away from home from five attempts.
- Worcester Warriors were undefeated in 12 games against Italian opposition (W12) prior to the last iteration of this fixture, Zebre beating them 27-8 in Round 2.
- Worcester Warriors have won seven of their last 10 home matches in the Challenge Cup and have never lost a home match against a team from Italy (W6).
Quelle campagne pour les Italiens en European Rugby Challenge Cup
Zebre notched up a notable double with a 22-15 victory over Worcester Warriors in their Pool 4 clash at Sixways Stadium.
The Italian side beat the Warriors 27-8 at a rainswept Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi at the end of November and this repeat result was good enough to secure a club-record third win and ensure them of their most successful tournament campaign.
Worcester Warriors had been undefeated in 12 games against Italian opposition but have now lost successive contests to a buoyant Zebre.
And the Italian club made the more positive start with Ulrich Beyers on target with a 10th minute penalty goal and left wing Kayle Van Zyl crossing for a try minutes later, Kelly Haimona adding the conversion.
The Warriors did respond with hooker Luke Baldwin going over to open their account, Andy Symons adding the extra points, before French referee Thomas Charabas dispatched a player from each side to the sin bin.
Worcester’s Huw Taylor was first to depart for a 10-minute break – Haimona rubbing sale into home wounds with the penalty – and then Dion Berryman joined him as each side was temporarily reduced to 14.
Tiff Eden saw his drop goal effort fail to hit the mark but Worcester, six points adrift at the break, cut the deficit soon after the restart with a Symons penalty goal before the inevitable rush of replacements from both benches.
Edoardo Padovani restored Zebre’s six-point advantage as the contest went into the final quarter but Jean Cook did not help the visitor’s case when he became their second player shown a yellow card.
Padovani failed with another penalty goal chance – and a drop goal attempt – with the minutes ticking away and the yellow cards tally was evened up when Darren O'Shea left the Warriors a man down for the second time.
Padovani punished them with a penalty that left the Warriors two scores adrift – though Dean Hammond gave the Warriors a glimmer of hope with an unconverted 75th minute try.
But Padovani wrapped things up for the Italians with a final penalty that killed off any lingering Worcester hopes of a comeback.
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