Zebre welcome Connacht at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchini on Saturday afternoon in a rearranged Round Three Guinness PRO12 game that could take the Irish side closer to the top half of the table. Connacht enter the match in strong form with four wins from five matches. However, given that Zebre were leading the reigning champions 22-10 when the original fixture was suspended, the Italian side will feel they can overcome them once again. What’s at stake? Connacht have benefited from playing all of the bottom three teams, Benetton Treviso, Newport Gwent Dragons and Zebre, in recent months but their winning run was ended by a Glasgow Warriors team full of returning internationals last weekend. With five games left to play, Connacht’s chances of qualifying for the European Champions Cup are slim, making a win this weekend is essential. #GUINNESSPRO12FINAL comes to Dublin on May 27. Get your 🎟🎟🎟 here: https://t.co/qI6plH0lIN #BeThere 🥇🏆🏉 pic.twitter.com/CnVw3UoAOW — PRO12RUGBY (@PRO12rugby) March 27, 2017 Pat Lam’s men are hanging on to seventh place above Cardiff Blues and this game-in-hand is the perfect opportunity to extend their one-point advantage over the Welshmen. Zebre have won one Guinness PRO12 game this season, a surprise win over Edinburgh Rugby at Murrayfield in October. The Italian side’s main objective for the end of the season will be to catch Italian rivals Treviso, just six points ahead of them. Zebre team news Victor Jimenez has made seven changes to the side that faced Munster, with seven Italian internationals returning after being rested last weekend. In all, there are ten Azzurri in the match-day 23 with six in the pack and the rest featuring in the backline. Maxime Mbanda and Dries Van Schalkwyk remain unavailable due to injury but Italy’s Andrea Lovotti, Tommaso D’apice and Dario Chistolini play together in club colours once more in the front row. Fellow international George Biagi will captain Zebre from the second row while Carlo Canna will kick things off in Parma at fly-half. Connacht team news The Connacht starting XV sees five changes as Irish internationals Tiernan O’Halloran and Kieran Marmion take a scheduled rest week. After getting his first cap against Glasgow Warriors, Josh Rowland will now have his first start at full-back, with John Cooney at scrum-half and Danie Poolman on the right wing. Team Announcement: Connacht make five changes for tomorrow’s @PRO12rugby clash away to Zebre (2.30pm Irish time) ⬇️https://t.co/tIijCKToXo pic.twitter.com/TPdd29DLUe — Connacht Rugby (@connachtrugby) March 31, 2017 Tom Farrell and Bundee Aki link up in the midfield for the first time and Eoin McKeon is the only change in the pack, coming in for an injured Jake Heenan at flanker. Eoin Griffin awaits his first appearance in six months from the bench, while Niyi Adeolokun, JP Cooney and Ronan Loughney are all unavailable due to injury. Talking points Connacht coach Lam assured fans that the squad changes, due to injuries sustained in training, will not affect the scoreboard. He said: “We have had to make a few changes this week due to unfortunate niggles picked up in training. “But we’re going over to Parma with a clear game plan. We are fully focussed on putting in a performance against Zebre that will get us the points on offer.” Key battle: Lloyd Greeff v Bundee Aki Lloyd Greeff will have a big job on his hands on Saturday as he tries to keep a lid on Bundee Aki in the midfield. Aki moves in from the wing this weekend, but will continue to seek holes in the opposition defence as always. Match Official details for @ZebreRugby v @connachtrugby Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU) For more info: https://t.co/T0wdFAZrif#GUINNESSPRO12 pic.twitter.com/bC1w92nNor — PRO12RUGBY (@PRO12rugby) March 31, 2017 The pair have each scored one try for their teams this season, but the Kiwi has consistently made the Connacht attack look more threatening in his 11 appearances for the side. At 26, Aki has more experience than 23-year-old Greeff, but the South African has been on a similar path to his opposite number. Both joined the Guinness PRO12 from Super Rugby, though Aki made the move two years earlier with Greeff enjoying a strong first season in Italy. Key stat Zebre have not beaten an Irish Province since winning 13-6 against Ulster in Parma in September 2014. Did you know? Connacht have faced Zebre three times since October 2016, with the Irish side racking up 151 points over all three encounters. Zebre top points scorer: Carlo Canna 67pts. Top try scorers: Dries Van Schalkwyk and Giovanbattista Venditti 4 Connacht top points scorer: Jack Carty 77pts. Top try scorer: Niyi Adeolokun 6 Overall Guinness PRO12 head to head record: Played 9, Connacht won 9. At Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 3.30pm local time (2.30pm Ireland & UK) Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU, 6th competition game) Assistant Referees: Graeme Wells (SRU), Emanuele Tomo (FIR) Citing Commissioner: Roberto Carra (FIR) Guinness PRO12 Final 2017, 27th May, Aviva Stadium, Dublin. Ticket Information: Fans can still avail of an exclusive number of €35 tickets. Book via www.ticketmaster.ie. Further information: www.pro12rugby.com/final
