URC: Zebre v Connacht, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 5pm, live on TG4
Connacht and Zebre face off in the BKT URC’s basement battle in Parma this evening with only pride at stake.
Although a disappointing season for both clubs, the Italian outfit has shown significant improvement, and will be keen to claim a home win in this final fixture.
It will not make any difference to the table with Connacht enjoying a six-point advantage, but Connacht’s interim head coach Cullie Tucker says although “it’s not the way we wanted to finish the season, but we owe it to ourselves and the supporters to end the campaign with a win.
“Zebre are a good side who have made huge improvements this year, and they’ll be keen to finish on a high as well.”
As a result Tucker is looking for a performance of accuracy, physically and discipline, and has made four changes from the side that lost to Edinburgh in their final home fixture.
Three of those changes are in the pack with Joe Joyce named in the secondrow alongside Josh Murphy, with Shamus Hurling-Langton starting at openside flanker, having recovered from injury. The second change in the back row is number eight where Paul Boyle starts. In the backs the only change is the return of David Hawkshaw at outside centre for Hugh Gavin.
Tucker has kept faith with the halfback pairing of Ben Murphy and JJ Hanrahan, while Finn Treacy and Shayne Bolton, scorers of three tries last week, continue on the wings. Former Argentinian fullback Santiago Cordero makes his final appearance for the club since making his debut for against the Stormers in May 2024.
It has not been the best season for Connacht, with the disruption of head coach Pete Wilkins’ departure, but Tucker says the ambition to win remains.
“We want to finish strong. We want to put out a good performance. We have a number of players leaving, coaches leaving, so it’s about doing right by them and respecting them, and finishing in what has been a frustrating season on a high, and as high up the table as we can be.
“We would love to still be involved, and there was an outside chance last week, but ultimately whatever the 15 bonus points we picked up, we needed more to be in the top eight. It is what it is, and we just have to finish as strong as we can now.”
However, there are incentives for some Connacht players who are in line for national selection.
“There is an Irish tour for which are number of them are being watched, and then the better we perform collectively, there is more of a chance individually to kick on. So there is a number being looked at and it’s about us going out and delivering a good performance, collective performances make the individuals look better.”
However, the team focus is finishing with a win.
“It is a game we want to win. Zebre can be very dangerous at home, so we are not taking them lightly.”
A win could also see them move into a more respectable place on the table, which would be a welcome finish to what has been a disruptive and ultimately disappointing season.
Zebre Parma: J Trulla, S Gregory, F Paea, D Mazza, S Gesi, G Montemauri, A Fusco, D Fischetti (capt), L Bigi, M Hasa, M Canali, LKrumov, D Ruggeri, B Stavile, G Licata
Replacements: T Di Bartolomeo, PBuonfiglio, J Pitinari, G Volpi, G Ferrari, G Garcia, L Morisi, E Lucchin
Connacht: S Cordero, S Bolton, D Hawkshaw, B Aki, F Treacy, JJ Hanrahan, B Murphy, D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham, J Murphy, J Joyce, C Prendergast (capt), S Hurley-Langton, P Boyle
Replacements: E de Buitléar, J Duggan, J Aungier, D Murray, S Jansen, M Devine, C Forde, P O’Conor.
Referee: Hollie Davidson.
