Italian rivalries come to the fore on Saturday afternoon as Benetton make the trip to Parma to do battle with Michael Bradley’s buoyant Zebre side.

And it’s the visitors who currently boast the bragging rights, winning all three Guinness PRO14 contests when the sides met last season in Rounds 11, 12 and 21.

But that will be a record Bradley’s men will be looking to put right, encouraged by their Round 7 triumph over Dragons that marked their first win for 13 months.

And they will be vying to replicate those heroics back on home soil this weekend, hoping for a turnaround in derby-day form that has seen them lose seven of their last eight encounters to Benetton.

Zebre have failed to win successive Guinness PRO14 matches in the same season since ²⁰¹⁷⁄₁₈, with Kieran Crowley’s team also arriving in Parma with confidence following their landmark Champions Cup triumph over Lyon last weekend.

So the stage is all set for a seismic clash in the land of the Azzurri, offering just one of many festive treats on what promises to be a fiery weekend of Guinness PRO14 action.

Kick-off: Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi | KO 15:00 (UK) / 16:00 (ITA), Saturday 21 December

How to watch: | Live on Premier Sports 2, eir sport 2, SuperSport1, DAZN, PRO14.tv

Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR, 94th Championship Appearance)

AR1: Andrea Piardi (FIR), AR2: Gianlucca Gnecchi (FIR)

TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)

Players to watch out for: Edoardo Padovani (Zebre); Jayden Hayward (Benetton)

The battle between a pair of Italian rising stars in the front row will be a fascinating one – Zebre loosehead Danilo Fischetti going directly up against Benetton tighthead Marco Riccioni – but it’s two more experienced heads that we’ve highlighted as the match-up to watch.

With almost 50 Azzurri caps between them, Edoardo Padovani and Jayden Hayward know all about high-pressure situations and the man who comes out on top in their head-to-head over the next couple of weeks could have the inside track to the Italy No.15 jersey for the 2020 Guinness Six Nations.

Hayward, 32, will look to dictate play for Benetton and the versatility he showed in playing in the centres during the recent World Cup could also stand him in good stead.

Padovani is a game-breaking runner in the loose and keeping the Zebre speedster bottled up – as well as raining down high balls on him – will be vital if the visitors want to leave Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi triumphant.

Key stat: Benetton have not won away from home in any competition since they last visited Parma to play Zebre in April.

Zebre Rugby: Edoardo Padovani, Paula Balekana, Giulio Bisegni ©, Tommaso Boni, James Elliott, Carlo Canna, Marcello Violi; Danilo Fischetti, Luca Bigi, Giosuè Zilocchi, Mick Kearney, Ian Nagle, Jimmy Tuivaiti, Johan Meyer, Giovanni Licata

Replacements: Marco Manfredi, Andrea Lovotti, Alexandru Tarus, David Sisi, Maxime Mbandà, Guglielmo Palazzani, Michelangelo Biondelli, Charlie Walker

Benetton Rugby: Jayden Hayward, Angelo Esposito, Ratuva Tavuyara, Luca Morisi, Leonardo Sarto, Ian Keatley, Dewaldt Duvenage ©; Federico Zani, Hame Faiva, Marco Riccioni, Niccolò Cannone, Eli Snyman, Sebastian Negri, Abraham Steyn, Toa Halafihi

Replacements: Engjel Makelara, Nicola Quaglio, Cherif Traore, Marco Fuser, Marco Lazzaroni, Marco Barbini, Tito Tebaldi, Antonio Rizzi