PRO12 BOOTROOM
ZEBRE v ULSTER, STADIO SERGIO LANFRANCHI, 12.30PM
TEAM NEWS: Jared Payne could make a surprise return for Ulster after being named on the bench for today’s Pro12 clash in Zebre. Ulster have made nine changes in total to the side that beat Glasgow as fit-again duo Charles Piutau and Stuart Olding return to the first 15, with Tommy Bowe set to play his 150th game for the province.
LAST THREE MEETINGS:
Apr 2016 – Zebre 17 Ulster 47 Mar 2016 – Ulster 32 Zebre 0 Sept 2014 – Zebre 13 Ulster 6
VERDICT: Ulster
ZEBRE: D Berryman; M Bellini, T Boni, M Pratichetti, L Greeff; S Bordoli, G Palazzani; B Postiglioni, O Fabiana, G Roan; G Koegelenberg, V Bernabo (capt); D Bergamin, J Meyer, F Ruzza. Reps: S Tobias, A De Marchi, B Le Roux, J Furno, D Fragnito, C Engelbrecht, T Castello, S Balocchi.
ULSTER: J Stockdale; T Bowe, L Marshall, S Olding, C Piutau; P Nelson, R Pienaar; A Warwick, R Herring (capt), W Herbst; R Diack, A O’Connor; C Ross, C Henry, M Coetzee.
Reps: J Andrew, C Black, R Lutton, K Treadwell, S Reidy, P Marshall, J Payne, D Busby. Referee: Seán Gallagher (IRFU) TV: Live on Sky Sports 3 12.15pm (KO 12.30)
KEY STAT: Zebre’s only previous victory over Ulster was 13-6 in Parma in September 2014 – which marks the only occasion the province have lost a game in Italy.
TREVISO v CONNACHT, STADIO MONIGO, 12.30PM
TEAM NEWS: Connacht welcome back Bundee Aki in one of six changes made by Pat Lam, with Danie Poolman named to make his 80th Connacht appearance. Hooker Shane Delahunt earns his third start of the season, while James Cannon joins Ultan Dillane in the second row and Nepia Fox-Matamua gets the nod in the back row alongside Galway duo Seán O’Brien and captain John Muldoon. Treviso head coach Kieran Crowley makes two changes after last weekend’s loss against Leinster with Alberto Sgarbi coming in to captain the side at inside centre, replacing Tommaso Allan who is on Six Nations duty for Italy against England.
LAST THREE MEETINGS:
Dec 2016 – Connacht 47 Treviso 8 Apr 2016 – Treviso 22 Connacht 21 Nov 2015 – Conancht 33 Treviso 19 VERDICT: Connacht
TREVISO: L Sperandio; M Tagicakibau, T Iannone, A Sgarbi (capt), A Buondonno; I McKinley,T Tebaldi; R Barbieri, F Minto, M Lazzaroni, D Budd, T Paulo, T Pasquali, L Bigi, F Zani.
Reps: R Santamaria, M Zanusso, M Irving, L Nostran, F Ferrarini, E Francescato, A Pratichetti, D Odiete.
CONNACHT: T O’Halloran; N Adeolokun, B Aki, C Ronaldson, D Poolman; J Carty, C Blade; J Muldoon (capt), N Fox-Matamua, S O’Brien, J Cannon, U Dillane, F Bealham, S Delahunt, D Buckley.
Reps: D Heffernan, JP Cooney, J Andress, Q Roux, N Dawai, J Cooney, T Farrell, S Ili.
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU)
KEY STAT: Connacht have lost only one of their last six fixtures with Treviso – falling 21-22 at Stadio Monigo last season.