Connacht 48
Zebre 27
Connacht delivered a bonus-point victory over Italian outfit Zebre at Dexcom Stadium for a deserved second URC win.
Stuart Lancaster’s Connacht posted eight tries in this fourth fixture to bag five points and ensure they keep pace with the top eight.
Connacht were ahead 33-17 at the break, having delivered four tries in the opening half, but having also conceded three in a loose game at Dexcom.
The home side had taken a 12-5 lead after 15 minutes, despite having gone behind when visitors Zebre scored an early try. Capitalising on a jackal from winger Simone Gesi, influential scrumhalf and captain Alessandro Fusco was to the fore, and then, from an overthrown line-out, outhalf Giacomo Ferrari scored - outhalf Montemauri missing the conversion.
However after that initial Zebre try, Connacht took control of possession and territory, and were ahead by 19-5after 20 minutes. Within three minutes of conceding that opening try, the home outfit capitalised on a penalty kick to the corner, and with forwards Darragh Murray, Sean Jansen and Eoin de Buitlear adding they weight, eventually Finlay Bealham breached the defence to score, with outhalf Ciaran Frawley adding the extras for a 7-5 lead.
The Italians carved chances, but a lost line-out and a superb Reilly clearance put them on the back foot again. Connacht’s response was a superb 14th minute try for Sean Jansen, and in the space of another eight minutes the excellent Cathal Forde and fullback Sam Gilbert finished from a Finn Treacy pass to had add to the try tally, wrapping up the bonus point by the 25th minute.
The Italians responded, and camped on the Connacht line, they delivered with a well-deserved try from Jacopo Botturi adding the conversion, but within minutes Cathal Forde was instrumental in setting up Connacht captain Cian Prendergast for a 30th minute try, converted by Frawley for a 33-12 lead.
However, the Italians caught Connacht napping immediately after, and some porous defence out wide allowed fullback Mirko Belloni to score, narrowing the deficit to 33-17 at the break.
Connacht’s superiority was never in question, with Prendergast leading from the front as the home outfit continued to put their visitors under pressure through their pack, but good defence from Ruggeri kept them out
And when the Italians tried to take the fight to the home side, and it took Hansen to stop Zebre’s scrumhalf from touching down after a downfield kick.
The Italian pack continued to make ground but they were unable to make it count before Connacht re-took control through a penalty to touch. After Darragh Murray led the line-out drive, Dave Heffernan touched down for another try, Frawley missing the conversion.
Ahead 38-17, both side made a raft of changes with Will Connors making his first appearance for Connacht. The home hould have scored again after a superb break from Treacy, Harry West, and Daniel Ryan, but Prendergast was held up over the line on this occasion. However minutes later West claimed a deserved try, Daniel Ryan providing the vital pass at the end, with Gilbert missing the conversion.
The visitors, with a host of changes, sought another try, and they delivered through Rabaldi to bag a deserved try bonus for a fourth try, with the conversion missed.
It was not going to alter the result, but it took Treacy and Naughton to stop the Italians from adding another before Connacht’s Dave Heffernan finished with a flourish, adding the eighth try for a solid home win to keep them in touch of the top teams.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 5 mins: Ferraritry 0-5; 9: Bealhamtry 5-5, Frawley con 7-5; 14: Jansen try 12-5; 18: Forde try 17-5, Frawley con 19-5; 23: Gilbert try 24-5, Frawley con 26-5; 28: Botturi try 26-10, Montemauri con 26-12; 31: Prendergast try 31-12, Frawley con 33-12; 33 Belloni try 33-17; 55: Heffernan try 38-17; 67: West try 43-17; 71: Ribaldi try 43-22; 77: Bravin try 43-27; 80: Heffernan try 48-27.
Connacht: S Gilbert; F Treacy, H West, C Forde, M Hansen; C Frawley, C Reilly; J Cahir, E de Buitléar, F Bealham; N Murray, D Murray; C Prendergast (capt ), P Boyle, S Jansen. Replacements: J Duggan for Cahir, D Heffernan for de Buitléar, S Illo for Bealham (all 52 mins ); W Connors for Jansen (54 ); D Ryan for Hansen (55 ); S Naughton for Frawley (57 ); D O’Connor for D Murray (63 ); C Blade for O’Reilly (69 ).
Zebre: M Belloni; T Wade, M Zanon, R Casarin, S Gesi; G Montemauri, A Fusco (capt ); S Pelliccioli, T Di Bartolomeo, M Hasa; F Ruffolo, A Ortombina; G Ferrari, J Botturi, D Ruggeri. Replacements: J I Castellano for Hasa (33 mins ), Hasa for Castellano (45 ), BS Bravin for Ferrari (52 ); M Canali for Botturi, F Pisani for Hasa (both 57 ); T Dominguez for Fusco (59 ); G da Re for Montemauri (62 ); L Sodo Migliori for Wade (63 ).
