Italians stun sorry champions
REIGNING champions Connacht went down to Zebre who claimed their first Pro 12 home win of the season in this rearranged round-three clash.
The Italians, who remain bottom of the standings despite the result, ran in three tries courtesy of Derick Minnie, Tommaso Boni and Edoardo Padovani.
Stacey Ili, Craig Ronaldson and Josh Rowland scored tries for Connacht, who were unable to fully capitalise on a two-man advantage in the game’s closing stages while Minnie and Matteo Pratichetti were both in the sin-bin.
The defeat all but ends Connacht’s chances of making the top six and gaining qualification for next season’s
Champions Cup and it means Pat Lam’s will now be effectively seeing out the season before the Kiwi takes up his new job with Bristol. But it was the visitors who got off to the perfect start when Ili scored a try in the second minute, and, while Carlo Canna’s opening penalty of the match cut the deficit, the westerners increased their lead shortly after.
Ronaldson crossed in the 13th minute, with John Cooney slotting the conversion.
Minnie hit back with a try after 24 minutes, and Italy international Canna added the extras before his penalty left his side 18-12 up at the interval.
Boni increased Zebre’s lead with a try on the restart before Connacht scrum-half Cooney cut the gap with a 47thminute penalty.
Zebre’s flow wasn’t disrupted by the two yellow cards with Padovani’s try enough to