Connacht v Zebre Champions Cup Preview

09 January 2017

Connacht v Zebre Champions Cup Preview
Pool 2: Connacht Rugby v Zebre Rugby

Saturday, 14 January, Kick-off: 13:00, The Sportsground

Tickets available here.

Referee: Tom Foley (Eng), Assistant Ref: Ian Tempest (Eng), Assistant Ref: Roger Baileff (Eng), TMO: Sean Davey (Eng), Citing Commissioner: John Byett (Eng)

Match facts


  • Connacht have won all five previous meetings with Zebre in the tournament including a 52-7 victory in Round 2.

  • Zebre are still searching for their first victory in the top flight (L16); the nearest they have come to winning so far was a five-point loss at The Sportsground in 2013.

  • A win would represent Connacht’s best pool stage performance in a Champions Cup campaign - they have never won four matches in a season.

  • Connacht have averaged the most metres gained (629) and the most clean breaks (15.5) per game this season while Zebre have averaged the fewest metres (215) and clean breaks (3.8).


Team comparison (European Cup record)

















































Connacht Rugby



Zebre Rugby


Played

22



16


Wins

10



0


Draws

0



0


Losses

12



16


Total Points For

377



147


Total Points Against

493



658


Total Tries For

32



13


Total Tries Against

54



85



 

2016/17 Points Scorers                                                     Head-to-head record

 






























Connacht Rugby



Team



Zebre Rugby



5



Played



5



5



Wins



0



0



Losses



5



0



Draws



0



Connacht Rugby:    



















Player

Points


Jack Carty

28


Stacey Ili

15


Craig Ronaldson

12



 

Zebre Rugby:





























Date



Home



Score



Away



19/10/2013



Zebre Rugby



6-33



Connacht Rugby



11/01/2014



Connacht Rugby



20-3



Zebre Rugby



23/10/2016



Zebre Rugby



7-52



Connacht Rugby



 



















Player

Points


Carlo Canna

11


Federico Ruzza

10


Tommaso D'Apice

10