After a missed opportunity against Saracens, Connacht face a Zebre side with their star signing back at scrum-half.
CONNACHT
Starting XV: 15 James So’oialo, 14 Danie Poolman, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Craig Ronaldson, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Kieran Marmion
1 Brett Wilkinson, 2 Sean Henry, 3 Rodney Ah You, 4 Michael Swift (C), 5 Craig Clarke, 6 Andrew Browne, 7 Jake Heenan, 8 George Naoupu
Replacements: 16 Jason Harris-Wright, 17 JP Cooney, 18 Ronan Loughney, 19 Aly Muldowney 20 Mata Fifita, 21 Paul O’Donohoe, 22 Dave McSharry, 23 Gavin Duffy
Unavailable/Injured: Willie Faloon, Conor Finn, Eoin Griffin, Eoin McKeon, Shane Layden, John Muldoon, Miah Nikora, Peter Reilly, Kyle Tonetti, and Nathan White
Starting XV: 15 James So’oialo, 14 Danie Poolman, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Craig Ronaldson, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Kieran Marmion
1 Brett Wilkinson, 2 Sean Henry, 3 Rodney Ah You, 4 Michael Swift (C), 5 Craig Clarke, 6 Andrew Browne, 7 Jake Heenan, 8 George Naoupu
Replacements: 16 Jason Harris-Wright, 17 JP Cooney, 18 Ronan Loughney, 19 Aly Muldowney 20 Mata Fifita, 21 Paul O’Donohoe, 22 Dave McSharry, 23 Gavin Duffy
Unavailable/Injured: Willie Faloon, Conor Finn, Eoin Griffin, Eoin McKeon, Shane Layden, John Muldoon, Miah Nikora, Peter Reilly, Kyle Tonetti, and Nathan White
Zebre
Starting XV: 15 Ruggero Trevisan, 14 Dion Berryman, 13 Tommaso Iannone, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 David Odiete, 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Brendon Leonard
1 Matias Aguero, 2 Tommaso D'Apice, 3 Dario Chistolini, 4 Mike Van Vuren, 5 Marco Bortolami (c), 6 Mauro Bergamasco, 7 Dries van Schalkwyk, 8 Samu Vunisa
Replacements: 16 Davide Giazzon, 17 Andrea de Marchi, 18 Luciano Leibson, 19 Emiliano Caffini, 20 Filippo Cristiano, 21 Alberto Chillon, 22 Kameli Ratuvou, 23 Leonardo Sarto
Unavailable/Injured: George Biagi, Paolo Buso, Nicola Cattina, Filippo Cazzola*, Filippo Ferrarini*, Quintin Geldenhuys, Andrea Manici* (try against us), Salvatore Perugini, Matteo Pratichetti, David Ryan, Giovanbattista Venditti.
Starting XV: 15 Ruggero Trevisan, 14 Dion Berryman, 13 Tommaso Iannone, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 David Odiete, 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Brendon Leonard
1 Matias Aguero, 2 Tommaso D'Apice, 3 Dario Chistolini, 4 Mike Van Vuren, 5 Marco Bortolami (c), 6 Mauro Bergamasco, 7 Dries van Schalkwyk, 8 Samu Vunisa
Replacements: 16 Davide Giazzon, 17 Andrea de Marchi, 18 Luciano Leibson, 19 Emiliano Caffini, 20 Filippo Cristiano, 21 Alberto Chillon, 22 Kameli Ratuvou, 23 Leonardo Sarto
Unavailable/Injured: George Biagi, Paolo Buso, Nicola Cattina, Filippo Cazzola*, Filippo Ferrarini*, Quintin Geldenhuys, Andrea Manici* (try against us), Salvatore Perugini, Matteo Pratichetti, David Ryan, Giovanbattista Venditti.
Venue: Stadio XXV Aprile, Parma, Italy
Date: Saturday, 19th October 2013
Kick-off: 14:35 (Italy ... 13:45 Connacht Time)
TV Broadcasts: Mediaset / TG4, Rabo Matchday Live
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU)
MATCH DISCUSSION THREAD ON THE FORUM
Date: Saturday, 19th October 2013
Kick-off: 14:35 (Italy ... 13:45 Connacht Time)
TV Broadcasts: Mediaset / TG4, Rabo Matchday Live
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU)
MATCH DISCUSSION THREAD ON THE FORUM
The first match of the season between these two sides took place just over a month ago with Connacht winning at home by margin of 9 points. Connacht were not as clinical in attack as that score suggests though, with a try by Nathan White which came from a botched quick line-out, as well as a good few handling errors that marred the quick off-loading phases that Lam has been looking to introduce. That said Zebre themselves had not shown a marked improvement over the previous season, and were not in touching distance until near the end of the match.
The Connacht team they will face thankfully has less of an injury crisis this week than last, with McSharry, Loughney, and Harris-Wright all making welcome returns to the squad. In the pack last week's impressive front row unit is retained, and including the superbly accurate Sean Henry, and the oft-maligned Rodbey Ah'You, whose display last week earned him deserved plaudits. The second row is unchanged, meaning that a lineout which functioned perfectly last week will have high-expectations placed upon it to produce good quality ball for the Connacht backs to work with. In the back row an unfortunate injury to Muldoon means that Andrew Browne is starting in his place, but Heenan and Naoupu retain their berths.
So'oialo is starting at full-back with Duffy dropping to the bench, in a move that will surprise many given the lack of cover at inside-centre. Duffy had been criticised as not being attacking enough in the opening matches of the season, and perhaps this played a part in this decision. Poolman and Healy take the wing spots with no room in the squad for Tiernan or Fionn, Duffy being preferred perhaps due to his vertsatility. The centre partnership from last week is also renewed, despite some glaring defensive lapses in the opening quarter of the match, but no doubt this would have been extensively addressed during the week.
The bench this week seems a lot more loaded than last week, with Loughney, JHW, Duffy and McSharry adding considerable experience to the options. McSharry's last game incidentally was against Zebre last January, and his return is a very welcome one given Griffin's injury and Henshaw's inexperience in centre.
The last time Connacht played Zebre they were without the services of their star scrum-half Brendon Leonard, but he is fit and selected this week, and partners Orquera. Berryman and Garcia are the only other backs starting tomorrow who started last month, with Berryman switching position to the wing, which is more regular for him than full-back, and the New Zealander picked up a try from there last week against Toulouse. Trevisan takes the vacated full-back position, and the 20 year-old David Odiete, a try-scorer in their victory over Blues, completes the back three. In the centre, the experienced Garcia is joined by Ionnone, a versatile back who normally plays at out-half.
The pack is very similar to the previously faced one. Tommaso D'Aspice starts his first every Zebre match at hooker though, as Davide Giazzon is demoted to the bench after a lack-lustre performance against Toulouse, where he missed 3 out of 4 tackles attempts and carried only once in his 37 minutes on the field, and try-scorer against Connacht Andrea Manici is injured. 6'6'' South African Mike Van Vuren comes in at lock instead of injured Quintin Geldenhuys but Bortolami retains the captain's armband beside him. The abrasive back row remains unchanged.
Both teams will be expecting a lot from their respective scrum-halves and a lot of pressure will come on Marmion after his performance against Saracens. Parks must make himself available to relieve that pressure, but also he must be willing to challenge their line or else Ronaldson and Henshaw will have a very tough day at the office. Given the strength of the Connacht back three an up and under game like last week might well suit Connacht, but it would be disappointing to see it being over-relied upon as was often the case last season. Up front, we should able to pressure the Zebre pack, at scrum time, and Henry hopefully will continue to work well with the lineout system. Finally George and Browne need to make sure that Zebre's main carrier, Vunisa, is shutdown, as this will force them to play wider if they are to make the gain-line.
The Connacht Clan wish the travelling supporter's all the best. Remember that the Party in Parma begins in the Highlander Pub.
If you are not fortunate enough to be heading to Italy though, make sure to pop along to The Dáil Bar, where the rest of the Connacht Clan will be watching the match from 1pm tomorrow.