Details

Date Time Competition Season
18 February 2023 3:05 pm United Rugby Championship 2022/23

Match Report

Connacht leave Italy with victory in high scoring thriller

Connacht scored nine tries but had to survive a second-half siege from bottom side Zebre as they won a thrilling encounter, by 34-57.

In what would pan out as a game of staggering thirteen tries, Connacht struck early with hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin scoring six minutes in from a maul. 

Carty’s conversion and two penalties from Zebre’s Tiff Eden made it 6-7 before another two maul finishes from Tierney-Martin had Connacht 19-6 up by the half hour.

Niall Murray’s clever quick lineout freed full back Tiernan O’Halloran to dot down the BP score before home winger Simeone Gesi produced an equally impressive finish in the corner for Zebre’s first try.

Caoilin Balde sniped over from range before half time leaving Connacht eighteen ahead and seemingly in cruise control.

That relaxed mood was increased when Diarmuid Kilgallen got their sixth try after Carty freed him and converted for 38-13.

Then came a Zebre onslaught from the URC’s bottom side, seeking their first win.

Centre Erich Cronje got his third try this season before experienced Italian lock Joshua Furno was freed by brilliant attacking play from Eden to dot down.  Two successful conversions had the crowd euphoric and the visitors only eleven ahead entering the final quarter.

More sublime craft from the fly half allowed Gesi in under the posts for his brace, Connacht severely rattled and under the cosh as the Parma province secured a BP of their own.

A raft of substitutions helped Andy Friend’s men stem the tide as they slowed the game and ruthlessly snuffed Zebre’s second half hopes out.  Yet the replacements ultimately won the match.

Replacement Adam Byrne finished off more potent maul work, Kieran Marmion, on for Blade, intercepted a desperate Zebre pass from inside his own half before a sweet moment for debutant, Eoin De Buitlear, the young hooker celebrating his first Connacht cap with his first try.

Four further points from Carty’s conversions prompted the whistle to blow and an almighty puff of the cheeks from the men in green.  

Zebre

15Lorenzo Pani 22 Full-Back
14Kobus Van Wyk 23 Winger
13Erich Cronje Centre 46'
12Enrico Lucchin Centre
11Simone Gesi Winger 34', 61'
10Tiff Eden Fly-Half 35', 47', 57', 62'
10', 14'
9Chris Cook 21 Scrum-Half
1Luca Rizzoli 17 Prop
2Marco Manfredi 16 Hooker
3Matteo Nocera 18 Prop
4Leonard Krumov Lock
5Joshua Furno 19 Lock 56'
6Luca Andreani Flanker
7Matt Kvesic Flanker
8Giovanni Licata 20 No. 8
16Giampietro Ribaldi 2 Hooker
17Paolo Buonfiglio 1 Prop
18Muhamed Hasa 3 Prop
19Janco Uys 5 Hooker
20Davide Ruggeri 8 Flanker
21Ratko Jelic 9 Scrum-Half
22Antonio Rizzi 15 Fly-Half
23Richard Kriel 14 Full-Back

Connacht

15Tiernan O’Halloran Full-Back 32'
14Diarmuid Kilgallen 23 Winger 43'
13Thomas Farrell Centre
12Cathal Forde 22 Centre
11John Porch Winger
10Jack Carty Fly-Half 7', 29', 39', 44', 74', 78'
9Caolin Blade 21 Scrum-Half 38'
1Denis Buckley 18 Prop
2Dylan Tierney-Martin 16 Hooker 6', 24', 28'
3Jack Aungier 17 Prop
4Josh Murphy 19 Lock
5Niall Murray Lock
6Cian Prendergast Flanker
7Conor Oliver 20 Flanker
8Jarrad Butler No. 8
16Eoin De Buitlear 2 Hooker 80'
17Jordan Duggan 3 Prop
18Sam Illo 1 Prop
19Darragh Murray 4 Lock
20Shamus Hurley-Langton 7 Flanker
21Kieran Marmion 9 Scrum-Half 77'
22Tom Daly 12 Centre
23Adam Byrne 14 Winger 73'

Past Meetings

(Round 18)
22 - 20
United Rugby Championship
Dexcom Stadium

Connacht v Zebre

(Round 7)
12 - 47
PRO14
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi

Zebre vs Connacht

Ground

Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Parma, 43122, Italy