Connacht have a perfect record against Zebre but head coach Pat Lam insists he is taking nothing for granted as the reigning Guinness PRO12 champions look to finally kickstart their title defence. After the opening two rounds of this season’s campaign Connacht prop up the Guinness PRO12 table having lost to Glasgow Warriors and Ospreys. However, the history book suggests that this weekend’s clash with Zebre could see Connacht get off the mark, having beaten their Italy opposition in all 12 of their previous clashes. But Saturday’s clash marks the first home game of the season for Zebre with the Italian side winning their last game in Parma 47-22 against the Newport Dragons in round 22 of last season’s Guinness PRO12. Connacht, meanwhile, have not won away from home since beating Edinburgh at BT Murrayfield in early March, all of which means Lam is readying his troops for a tough challenge. “Zebre are a team we know well having played them 12 times in the past four seasons,” Lam said. “Our good record against them is due the respect we give them in our preparation and this week has been no different. “With this being their first game home game of the season, we understand the tough challenge ahead of us on Saturday. “Despite the injuries and changes in personnel, our focus has been on continued improvement throughout our game and our roles. We’re looking forward to taking another step up in our performance.” Lam has made six personnel changes to the side that lined up against Ospreys at the Sportsground last weekend. Bundee Aki and Eoin Griffin swap positions in midfield while 22-year-old Cian Kelleher starts on the wing after making his Connacht debut at full-back in their opener against Glasgow Warriors. Caolin Blade is also reintroduced at scrum-half, while up front Denis Buckley returns from injury at loosehead prop and JP Cooney starts at tighthead in the absence of Finlay Bealham through illness. There is also a new second row partnership of Lewis Stevenson and Andrew Browne. Irish internationals Ultan Dillane, Kieran Marmion and Matt Healy are all included among the replacements while prop Conor Carey is in line to make his Connacht debut in Italy tomorrow afternoon. As for Zebre, winger Giovanbattista Venditti makes his first Guinness PRO12 appearance of the campaign, while South Africans Derick Minnie and Kayle Van Zyl and Argentine prop Bruno Postiglioni could all do so from the bench. Their starting XV is 100 per cent made up of Italian players, 14 of which are internationals with only No.8 Federico Ruzza not yet capped by Italy. Connacht: O’Halloran, Adeolokun, Aki, Griffin, Kelleher, Carty, Blade, Buckley, McCartney, Cooney, Stevenson, Browne, McKeon, Connolly, Muldoon Replacements: Heffernan, Loughney, Carey, Dillane, Moloney, Marmion, O’Leary, Healy Zebre: Padovani, Di Giulio, Bisegni, Boni, Venditti. Canna, Palazzani, De Marchi, Fabiani, Ceccarelli, Geldenhuys, Biagi, Sarto, Mbanda, Ruzza, Replacements: D’Apice, Postigliono, Chistolini, Koegelenberg, Minnie, Engelbrecht, Castello, Van Zyl Overall Guinness PRO12 head to head record: Played 8, Zebre won 0, Connacht won 8. At Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 6.05pm local time (5.05pm Ireland & UK) Referee: Ian Davies (WRU, 51st competition game) Assistant Referees: Adam Jones (WRU), Riccardo Angelucci (FIR) Citing Commissioner: Alberto Recaldini (FIR)
