CONNACHT SURPASSED THEIR haul of seven tries against Saracens last week but never reached the heights of that Champions Cup performance as they put URC basement side Zebre to the sword at Dexcom Stadium.
Connacht ran in eight tries but coughed up five in the process in a mixed display to secure their second league win of the season.
Ciarán Frawley, no doubt with a nod to his international aspirations, was handed the kicking duties ahead of full-back Sam Gilbert and he enjoyed a decent outing off the tee with four from six conversion attempts on a night when he started at out-half for the fourth game in a row for the first time in his career.
Prop Jerry Cahir and Irish flanker Will Connors, who made the move west from Leinster with Frawley during the summer, both made their debuts.
Connacht, with five of the eight players starting who were included in the Irish squad this week and a sixth, Sam Illo, on the bench, were always likely to have too much firepower for Zebre, even though the Parma side had half a dozen of the nine who were named in the Italian squad a few days ago.
The previous week fans witnessed 81 points in Connacht’s 45-36 win over Saracens, and they saw 50 in a madcap opening half in this one as Stuart Lancaster’s men ran in five tries to Zebre’s three.
The Italians laid down an early marker when flanker Giacomo Ferrari scored after five minutes after Connacht had coughed up a penalty from a promising attack and then a lineout overthrow from Eoin de Buitléar was punished.
The class of Mack Hansen, who had to sit out last week’s game despite only playing four games since last November, was key to Connacht getting on top and building a big lead, with centres Harry West and Cathal Forde also to the fore as they shredded the Zebre defence.
They had the try bonus point wrapped up by the 23rd minute. Finlay Bealham, again left out of the Irish squad this week, dotted down their opener after good work from Hansen and West.
Seán Jansen, capped during the summer and again called up by Andy Farrell this week, scored the next with Hansen and West again key, while Forde scored the third after a good break from winger Finn Treacy.
Gilbert sealed the bonus point after Treacy put him in, while Forde set up his skipper Cian Prendergast down the left.
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But in between sloppy defending was punished when flanker Jacopo Botturi scored and the Italians finished the half on the front foot with full-back Mirko Belloni brushing off Treacy and Gilbert to score in the left corner and cut the gap to 33-17 at the break.
Hooker Dave Heffernan, on for his first action of the season after recovering from injury, drove over for Connacht’s sixth try after 55 minutes, just three minutes after coming on.
Another Ballina man, centre West, got Connacht’s seventh try after being set up by Daniel Ryan, moments after Prendergast was denied a second try of the night in the left corner.
Zebre, who came into the contest with just a point to show from their three games to date, deservedly got a try bonus point ten minutes from the end when replacement hooker Giampietro Ribaldi drove his way over after Connacht failed to deal with the kick-off.
And Zebre got a fifth try three minutes from time when Bautista Stavile dispossessed Treacy after a neat chip into the 22 with penalty advantage from Thomas Dominguez.
But Connacht finished on a high note when Heffernan got his second try after going to the right corner with a penalty.
Scorers:
Connacht: Tries: D Heffernan (2), F Bealham, S Jansen, C Forde, S Gilbert, C Prendergast, H West. Cons: C Frawley (4 from 6), S Gilbert (1 from 2).
Zebre: Tries: G Ferrari, J Botturi, M Belloni, G Ribaldi. Cons: G Montemauri (3 from 3), G Da Re (0 from 2).
Connacht: Sam Gilbert; Finn Treacy, Harry West, Cathal Forde, Mack Hansen (Daniel Ryan 54); Ciarán Frawley (Sean Naughton 57), Colm Reilly (Caolin Blade 69); Jerry Cahir (Jordan Duggan 52), Eoin de Buitléar (Dave Heffernan 52), Finlay Bealham (Sam Illo 52); Niall Murray, Darragh Murray (David O’Connor 63); Cian Prendergast, Paul Boyle, Sean Jansen (Will Connors 54).
Zebre Parma: Mirko Belloni; Tobias Wade (Leonardo Sodo 63), Marco Zanon, Riccardo Casarin, Simone Gesi; Giovanni Montemauri (Giacomo Da Re 63), Alessandro Fusco (Thomas Dominguez 59); Sergio Pelliccioli, Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Giampietro Ribaldi 52), Muhamed Hasa (Juan Ignacio Castellano 33-45, Federico Pisani 58); Francesco Ruffolo, Alessandro Ortombina; Giacomo Ferrari (Bautista Stavile 45), Jacopo Botturi (Matteo Canali 57), Davide Ruggeri (Ferrari 70).
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Connacht make it 93 points in two games to dispatch Zebre
Connacht 48
Zebre 27
CONNACHT SURPASSED THEIR haul of seven tries against Saracens last week but never reached the heights of that Champions Cup performance as they put URC basement side Zebre to the sword at Dexcom Stadium.
Connacht ran in eight tries but coughed up five in the process in a mixed display to secure their second league win of the season.
Ciarán Frawley, no doubt with a nod to his international aspirations, was handed the kicking duties ahead of full-back Sam Gilbert and he enjoyed a decent outing off the tee with four from six conversion attempts on a night when he started at out-half for the fourth game in a row for the first time in his career.
Prop Jerry Cahir and Irish flanker Will Connors, who made the move west from Leinster with Frawley during the summer, both made their debuts.
Connacht, with five of the eight players starting who were included in the Irish squad this week and a sixth, Sam Illo, on the bench, were always likely to have too much firepower for Zebre, even though the Parma side had half a dozen of the nine who were named in the Italian squad a few days ago.
The previous week fans witnessed 81 points in Connacht’s 45-36 win over Saracens, and they saw 50 in a madcap opening half in this one as Stuart Lancaster’s men ran in five tries to Zebre’s three.
The Italians laid down an early marker when flanker Giacomo Ferrari scored after five minutes after Connacht had coughed up a penalty from a promising attack and then a lineout overthrow from Eoin de Buitléar was punished.
The class of Mack Hansen, who had to sit out last week’s game despite only playing four games since last November, was key to Connacht getting on top and building a big lead, with centres Harry West and Cathal Forde also to the fore as they shredded the Zebre defence.
They had the try bonus point wrapped up by the 23rd minute. Finlay Bealham, again left out of the Irish squad this week, dotted down their opener after good work from Hansen and West.
Seán Jansen, capped during the summer and again called up by Andy Farrell this week, scored the next with Hansen and West again key, while Forde scored the third after a good break from winger Finn Treacy.
Gilbert sealed the bonus point after Treacy put him in, while Forde set up his skipper Cian Prendergast down the left.
But in between sloppy defending was punished when flanker Jacopo Botturi scored and the Italians finished the half on the front foot with full-back Mirko Belloni brushing off Treacy and Gilbert to score in the left corner and cut the gap to 33-17 at the break.
Hooker Dave Heffernan, on for his first action of the season after recovering from injury, drove over for Connacht’s sixth try after 55 minutes, just three minutes after coming on.
Another Ballina man, centre West, got Connacht’s seventh try after being set up by Daniel Ryan, moments after Prendergast was denied a second try of the night in the left corner.
Zebre, who came into the contest with just a point to show from their three games to date, deservedly got a try bonus point ten minutes from the end when replacement hooker Giampietro Ribaldi drove his way over after Connacht failed to deal with the kick-off.
And Zebre got a fifth try three minutes from time when Bautista Stavile dispossessed Treacy after a neat chip into the 22 with penalty advantage from Thomas Dominguez.
But Connacht finished on a high note when Heffernan got his second try after going to the right corner with a penalty.
Scorers:
Connacht: Tries: D Heffernan (2), F Bealham, S Jansen, C Forde, S Gilbert, C Prendergast, H West. Cons: C Frawley (4 from 6), S Gilbert (1 from 2).
Zebre: Tries: G Ferrari, J Botturi, M Belloni, G Ribaldi. Cons: G Montemauri (3 from 3), G Da Re (0 from 2).
Connacht: Sam Gilbert; Finn Treacy, Harry West, Cathal Forde, Mack Hansen (Daniel Ryan 54); Ciarán Frawley (Sean Naughton 57), Colm Reilly (Caolin Blade 69); Jerry Cahir (Jordan Duggan 52), Eoin de Buitléar (Dave Heffernan 52), Finlay Bealham (Sam Illo 52); Niall Murray, Darragh Murray (David O’Connor 63); Cian Prendergast, Paul Boyle, Sean Jansen (Will Connors 54).
Zebre Parma: Mirko Belloni; Tobias Wade (Leonardo Sodo 63), Marco Zanon, Riccardo Casarin, Simone Gesi; Giovanni Montemauri (Giacomo Da Re 63), Alessandro Fusco (Thomas Dominguez 59); Sergio Pelliccioli, Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Giampietro Ribaldi 52), Muhamed Hasa (Juan Ignacio Castellano 33-45, Federico Pisani 58); Francesco Ruffolo, Alessandro Ortombina; Giacomo Ferrari (Bautista Stavile 45), Jacopo Botturi (Matteo Canali 57), Davide Ruggeri (Ferrari 70).
Referee: Hanru van Rooyen (South Africa).
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Connacht October Rugby URC Zebre