The United Rugby Championship presents a crucial match between Connacht and Zebre at Dexcom Stadium, scheduled to commence at 7.35 p.m. The event will be broadcast live on TG4 and Premier Sports. In order to have a genuine chance of being among the top eight squads in the URC rankings for this season, Connacht is compelled to secure nothing short of a victory with a bonus point, which promises significant benefits at home and in European competitions.
Consistency in performance has been an issue, with fluctuations between excellent and subpar within a short span of time. The team, managed by Pete Wilkins, features some promising young talents like Cathal Forde, Shane Jennings, Sean O’Brien and Matthew Devine, who have manifested their skills masterfully. Jennings will be positioned at fullback while Devine will act as scrumhalf. The fact Oran McNulty has spent much of the season with Garryowen as opposed to Connacht, considering his talent, is perplexing.
The upcoming game is of great significance for the widely-admired player Finlay Bealham who is set to make his 200th appearance for the club. He will become the seventh player to reach this landmark at the club, following the likes of Denis Buckley, Tiernan O’Halloran, Jack Carty and past players including John Muldoon, Michael Swift and Kieran Marmion.
The side is captained by hooker Dave Heffernan and features Jordan Duggan as loosehead. Locks Niall Murray and Joe Joyce are paired up, while the back row has been revised with Shamus Hurley-Langton shifted to blindside flanker, Conor Oliver on the openside and Sean O’Brien at number eight.
JJ Hanrahan continues as outhalf, while Tom Farrell alongside Bundee Aki represent the centre. John Porch makes his return to the squad on the right wing. Wilkins has decided on a six-two split on the bench. Zebre, boasting one win and a draw from 13 fixtures plus nine bonus points, are a stronger adversary than their record indicates.
Fabio Roselli, the visiting squad’s head coach, remarked that Connacht, with their home advantage and world-class players, aspire to play uncompromising rugby and possess incredible acceleration. He stressed the urgency of rebounding from their recent poor performance and stated that the imminent mission for the season starts with the Connacht clash.
“Challenging the opponents during counterattacks and turnovers and restoring our faith in our own game that makes us competitive is essential. We have to reconnect with our unique identity that drives us and makes rugby such a thrilling experience for us,” communicated the team members. Connacht will need to maintain accuracy and concentration in their game; if they manage to meet these two specifics, a promising night for the team at their home ground in Galway is not far off.
The Connacht team comprises of S Jennings, J Porch, T Farrell, B Aki, A Smith, JJ Hanrahan, M Devine, J Duggan, D Heffernan (who is the captain), F Bealham, J Joyce, N Murray, S Hurley-Langton, C Oliver, and S O’Brien. Reserve players include T McElroy, P Dooley, S Illo, O Dowling, J Butler, C Blade, C Forde, and P Boyle.
The Zebre team includes L Pani, J Trulla, S Gregory, F Paea, S Gesi, G Prisciantelli, G Garcia, M Hasa, G Ribaldi, J Pitinari, L Krumov, A Zambonin, G Volpi, D Ruggeri and G Licata (captain). Their substitutes are T Di Bartolomeo, D Fischetti, R Genovese, M Canali, I Bianchi, T Dominguez, F Smith Jr, and E Lucchin.
The referee for the match will be A Barrett-Theron from South Africa.