CONNACHT PRODUCED A try in the 11th minute of stoppage time to snatch a bonus point in this URC basement clash at Stadio Lanfranchi in Parma.
Connacht struggled for long periods against a Zebre side who had eight players away on Six Nations duty with Italy but they were rewarded for battling away to the end.
Connacht, minus the three players in Andy Farrell’s squad in addition to the suspended Bundee Aki, trailed 3-0 at the end of a dreadful opening half where Chay Mullins had a try scratched after out-half Josh Ioane was harshly pinged for a knock-on a phase earlier when he stretched to score.
Connacht finished the half strongly but couldn’t find a way through despite a few penalties to the corner, with Jack Aungier coming closest seven minutes from the break when he stretched but was unable to ground the ball as Zebre lock Matteo Canali prevented him. It remained 3-0 at the break.
It took Connacht just 45 seconds after the restart to hit the front when Cathal Forde charged down a clearance from out-half Martin Roger Farias and while he was stopped in the left corner, scrumhalf Caolin Blade was on hand to feed Joe Joyce and send then lock over. Full-back Sam Gilbert, who came into the game with a 94% success rate from the tee landed the conversion from the left to make it 7-3.
Connacht got control of the game after 50 minutes when No 8 Sean Jansen squeezed through to score under the posts after multiple drives had been stopped short.
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Jack Aungier gets the ball away. Giuseppe Fama / INPHO
Giuseppe Fama / INPHO / INPHO
Scrumhalf Gonzalo Garcia pulled back a try for Zebre after 56 minutes but he was then binned for a deliberate knock-on and Connacht punished them when Jansen got in for his second try 19 minutes from the end, with the conversion putting the lead out to 21-8.
Winger Mullins was also binned for a deliberate knock-on after 72 minutes and Connacht faced a nervous finish when replacement Bautista Stavile scored off a lineout six minutes from time with the conversion reducing the gap to 21-15.
Gilbert secured the win with a penalty from the right after 78 minutes after skipper Paul Boyle opted to ensure victory rather than risk a turnover if they went to the corner.
It turned out to be a wise move as both teams kept the ball alive as the clock went into the red with the Italians hoping for a losing bonus point and Connacht going for all five and they were rewarded in the 91st minute when replacement Oisin McCormack scored from a lineout drove after Zebre centre Marco Zanon became the third player to be binned for a deliberate knock-on as Connacht pressed in the corner.
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Connacht strike deep in stoppage time to secure bonus-point win against Zebre
Zebre 15
Connacht 31
CONNACHT PRODUCED A try in the 11th minute of stoppage time to snatch a bonus point in this URC basement clash at Stadio Lanfranchi in Parma.
Connacht struggled for long periods against a Zebre side who had eight players away on Six Nations duty with Italy but they were rewarded for battling away to the end.
Connacht, minus the three players in Andy Farrell’s squad in addition to the suspended Bundee Aki, trailed 3-0 at the end of a dreadful opening half where Chay Mullins had a try scratched after out-half Josh Ioane was harshly pinged for a knock-on a phase earlier when he stretched to score.
Connacht finished the half strongly but couldn’t find a way through despite a few penalties to the corner, with Jack Aungier coming closest seven minutes from the break when he stretched but was unable to ground the ball as Zebre lock Matteo Canali prevented him. It remained 3-0 at the break.
It took Connacht just 45 seconds after the restart to hit the front when Cathal Forde charged down a clearance from out-half Martin Roger Farias and while he was stopped in the left corner, scrumhalf Caolin Blade was on hand to feed Joe Joyce and send then lock over. Full-back Sam Gilbert, who came into the game with a 94% success rate from the tee landed the conversion from the left to make it 7-3.
Connacht got control of the game after 50 minutes when No 8 Sean Jansen squeezed through to score under the posts after multiple drives had been stopped short.
Scrumhalf Gonzalo Garcia pulled back a try for Zebre after 56 minutes but he was then binned for a deliberate knock-on and Connacht punished them when Jansen got in for his second try 19 minutes from the end, with the conversion putting the lead out to 21-8.
Winger Mullins was also binned for a deliberate knock-on after 72 minutes and Connacht faced a nervous finish when replacement Bautista Stavile scored off a lineout six minutes from time with the conversion reducing the gap to 21-15.
Gilbert secured the win with a penalty from the right after 78 minutes after skipper Paul Boyle opted to ensure victory rather than risk a turnover if they went to the corner.
It turned out to be a wise move as both teams kept the ball alive as the clock went into the red with the Italians hoping for a losing bonus point and Connacht going for all five and they were rewarded in the 91st minute when replacement Oisin McCormack scored from a lineout drove after Zebre centre Marco Zanon became the third player to be binned for a deliberate knock-on as Connacht pressed in the corner.
Gilbert maintained his superb form off the tee by landing the conversion from the right wing to secure their third win of the campaign.
Scorers: Zebre: Tries: G Garcia, B Stavile. Con: M Roger Farias. Pen: Roger Farias.
Connacht: Tries: S Jansen (2), J Joyce, O McCormasck. Cons: S Gilbert (4). Pen: Gilbert.
Zebre: Giovanni Montemauri (Enrico Lucchin 58); Mirko Belloni, Giulio Bertaccini, Marco Zanon, Simone Gesi; Martin Roger Farias, Gonzalo Garcia (Thomas Dominguez 71); Paolo Buonfiglio (Luca Franceschetto 66), Giampietro Ribaldi (Shilo Klein 71), Enrique Pieretto (Juan Pitinari 47); Matteo Canali (Alessandro Ortombina 58), Leonard Krumov (c) (Franco Carrera 71); Giacomo Ferrari (Thomas Dominguez 63), Iacopo Bianchi, Davide Ruggeri (Bautista Stavile 50).
Connacht: Sam Gilbert; Shane Jennings, Harry West, Cathal Forde, Chay Mullins; Josh Ioane (Sean Naughton 65), Caolin Blade (Ben Murphy 72); Jordan Duggan (Peter Dooley 50), Dylan Tierney-Martin (Matthew Victory 70), Jack Aungier (Fiachna Barrett 50); Josh Murphy (David O’Connor 58), Joe Joyce (Niall Murray 67); Paul Boyle (c) (Oisin McCormack 41-43), Sean O’Brien (McCormack 58), Sean Jansen.
Ref: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
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