Connacht vs Zebre, Fri 21 Nov 7:35pm; Live on TG4

thomond2006

Connacht team to face Zebre
15. Mils Muliaina
14. Danie Poolman
13. Bundee Aki
12. Dave McSharry
11. Matt Healy
10. Miah Nikora
9. Ian Porter

1. Denis Buckley
2. Jason Harris-Wright
3. Ronan Loughney
4. Mick Kearney
5. Quinn Roux
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. Willie Faloon
8. George Naoupu

Replacements:
16. Dave Heffernan
17. Tom McCartney
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Andrew Browne
20. Eoin McKeon
21. John Cooney
22. Jack Carty
23. Darragh Leader

Unavailable/Injured: Sean Henry, Nathan White, Rodney Ah You, JP Cooney, Jamie Dever, Aly Muldowney, Michael Swift, Jake Heenan, Robbie Henshaw, Tiernan O'Halloran, Niyi Adeolokun.

Zebre:

15 Hendrik Daniller
14 David Odiete*
13 Giulio Bisegni
12 Matteo Pratichetti
11 Michele Visentin*
10 Edoardo Padovani*
9 Brendon Leonard

8 Andries Van Schalkwyk
7 Filippo Cristiano
6 Mauro Bergamasco (cap)
5 Valerio Bernabò
4 Andries Ferreira
3 Luca Redolfini
2 Oliviero Fabiani
1 Andrea De Marchi

Replacements :
16 Roberto Santamaria
17 Andrea Lovotti
18 Luciano Leibson
19 Jacopo Sarto
20 Braam Steyn
21 Alberto Chillon*
22 Dion Berryman
23 Mirco Bergamasco

Coach. Andrea CAVINATO

Not available for selection due to injury: Tommaso D'Apice*, Filippo Ferrarini*, Tommaso Iannone*, Giovanbattista Venditti*.

* Former member of the Italian Rugby Union U20 academy "Ivan Francescato".

Connacht v Zebre
Friday 21st November
The Sportsground
Kick off 7:35pm
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

Connacht are being televised this weekend and it's the debut of Muliaina so surely this match is worth a thread of its own!

CatFromHue

First time Aki will be on the telebox too?

franglan

CatFromHue wrote: »

First time Aki will be on the telebox too?

No played against the Ospreys on BBC Wales. Huge game tonight, kinda feel like the NZers could just explode all over TG4!!!

S12b

Hopefully the weather stays decent for this now, it's grey but at least it's dry. Between it being our first home league game in 7 weeks, the Kiwis making their debuts and the Christmas market opening in Eyre Square (plus the free pint).....I'm expecting a big crowd and a great atmosphere tonight!!

Hopefully we can get a clinical display to go with it and we'll be happy out!!

vienne86

S12b wrote: »

Hopefully the weather stays decent for this now, it's grey but at least it's dry. Between it being our first home league game in 7 weeks, the Kiwis making their debuts and the Christmas market opening in Eyre Square (plus the free pint).....I'm expecting a big crowd and a great atmosphere tonight!!

Hopefully we can get a clinical display to go with it and we'll be happy out!!

I was just wondering what the weather would be like, so great to hear it is decent - awful in Dublin all day, but should be OK for tomorrow in the Aviva. I think this is the match I will watch tonight so - should be a good game. Zebre can play some decent rugby, but I would expect Connacht to put them away.

Zzippy

Heading in for a pint beforehand, really looking forward to this evening! A BP win would be great.

ST holders don't forget your vouchers for a free pint!

thomond2006

So Muliaina in a Connacht jersey....

eyeball kid

Is it raining at the sportsground? It's hard to tell. Connacht scrum looks good. Chance of 3 points now.

eyeball kid

McSharry was in there except for the slip. We've looking lively in the opening 15 mins or so.

MayoForSam

Yup, fairly heavy drizzle, makes for very greasy conditions. Connacht scrum looking good though.

thomond2006

Zebre are giving away plenty penalties.

thomond2006

And there's the yc
Good finish by Poolman

matthew8

It's literally at most a couple of Connacht phases before a penalty. Referee seems to like the sound of his whistle but they've been mostly clear cut.

aimee1

matthew8 wrote: »

It's literally at most a couple of Connacht phases before a penalty. Referee seems to like the sound of his whistle but they've been mostly clear cut.

Zebre players dont know basic rules

eyeball kid

Jhw must be injured heading off so early.

aimee1

matthew8 wrote: »

It's literally at most a couple of Connacht phases before a penalty. Referee seems to like the sound of his whistle but they've been mostly clear cut.

Zebre players dont know basic rules

Funk It

Lots of penalties.
Porter has been good.
Think they left JHW on 10 mins too much, he was obviously in pain.
Even the small things Mils and Aki do look top drawer, and oh, the scrum has been a serious weapon.

eyeball kid

Ooh Porter.

molloyjh

I'd be going to the corner here. Zebre aren't up to anything. Go for the jugular.

thomond2006

Porter has found his kicking boots: 17-3

Funk It

eyeball kid wrote: »

Ooh Porter.

Had a man on him, but seriously though, how bloody good is Healy? Is that 2 or 3 line breaks now?

eyeball kid

Funk It wrote: »

Had a man on him, but seriously though, how bloody good is Healy? Is that 2 or 3 line breaks now?

Yeah, been very impressed with him. They need to be patient. There's a bonus point in this game for us.

Swiwi.

aimee1 wrote: »

Zebre players dont know basic rules

They are playing like rank amateurs. It's just a series of penalties to Connacht for the simplest of errors. The few touches Mils has got he's looked OK. Hopefully Zebra actually let the game flow in the second half.

thomond2006

If Zebre don't sort the indiscipline they'll have 2 or 3 players binned in the second half.

aimee1

Swiwi. wrote: »

They are playing like rank amateurs. It's just a series of penalties to Connacht for the simplest of errors. The few touches Mils has got he's looked OK. Hopefully Zebra actually let the game flow in the second half.

Mils has been doing the simple things but doing them well. Aki looks a good player. On a dry day connaught would have tbp already

aimee1

Swiwi. wrote: »

They are playing like rank amateurs. It's just a series of penalties to Connacht for the simplest of errors. The few touches Mils has got he's looked OK. Hopefully Zebra actually let the game flow in the second half.

Mils has been doing the simple things but doing them well. Aki looks a good player. On a dry day connaught would have tbp already

thomond2006

Oh dear! That's a shocker for Zebre.

Funk It

Unbelievable watching the scrums. Connacht are doing very well and just eating up the ball each time. Has there been a hook yet at all though, Zebre not doing themselves any favours.

Yellow card coming for their tight head, need to go for the jugular in the scrum.
Edit: they just replaced the tight head - smart buggers, we'll get them yet

thomond2006

Another try, should be a BP win. Zebre not at the races.

Losty Dublin

aimee1 wrote: »

Zebre players dont know basic rules

eyeball kid

The angles weren't great for the tmo. Hard to see if the ball crossed the line from the replays. Nicely converted from Porter. He's kicked well since the first misses.

matthew8

Can't believe that tmo call.

molloyjh

Home town call if ever there was one.

Losty Dublin

Less than an hour in and you can see the cracks appearing in the Connacht defence; lots of missed tackles and basic attacking lines aren't being read properly. Zebre are awful yet they are creating a lot of danger with tame rugby. The last no try needs to be a wake up call for the home team.

eyeball kid

That was very tight. Not sure if I agree with the tmo there.

DDC1990

Worst TMO since the Own Try was awarded in Australia a few months ago.

Still these decisions often go against Connacht so I'm sure they'll take it while they can.

thomond2006

Another yellow for Zebre

Scrum Connacht, should be another try

matthew8

2 yellows for Zebre.

eyeball kid

Chance now for Connacht to finish this game off with the Zebre man in the bin and a second yellow. Well they have been warned enough times.

DDC1990

3rd Yellow for Zebre. Now down to 13 for 8mins or so.

molloyjh

And another yellow. Connacht have to push for the TBP at this stage.

Losty Dublin

DDC1990 wrote: »

3rd Yellow for Zebre. Now down to 13 for 8mins or so.

Scrum everything now. They will be short men all over the park.

Just as I went to post, penalty try

thomond2006

That was coming. 18 minutes to get one more.

molloyjh

Sorry, but that's another bs call against Zebre. He said 3 went straight down but looking at the replay it's clear he didn't.

d-gal

molloyjh wrote: »

Sorry, but that's another bs call against Zebre. He said 3 went straight down but looking at the replay it's clear he didn't.

Pretty clear penalty try no matter what

thomond2006

There it is

d-gal

Lovely try

Losty Dublin

Another try, Cooney with a clear run after a long overlap.

DDC1990

Bonus and well deserved.

Totally dominant.

molloyjh

Good result from Connacht. What's their biggest win in the league?

Losty Dublin

Full time and it's a 43-3 win for Connacht, bonus point as well. Impressive performance overall that augers well for the coming weeks.