They are an improving outfit, certainly in the Pro12 they haven#t been too far of winning a couple of games. They seem to be more focused on the league rather than the Heineken as the results back up. They haven't been absolutely smashed in the league by anyone in the same manner as the Quins beatings...

Planet Rugby wrote: Zebre Match Squad

Zebre: 15 Tito Tebaldi, 14 Giovanbattista Venditti, 13 Roberto Quartaroli, 12 Matteo Pratichetti, 11 Ruggero Trevisan, 10 Daniel Halangahu, 9 Alberto Chillon, 8 Filippo Ferrarini, 7 Mauro Bergamasco, 6 Emiliano Caffini, 5 Josh Sole, 4 Mike Van Vuren, 3 Luca Redolfini, 2 Davide Giazzon, 1 Salvatore Perugini.

Replacements: 16 Carlo Festuccia, 17 Matias Aguero, 18 David Ryan, 19 Nicola Belardo, 20 Andrea Manici, 21 Luca Martinelli, 22 Alberto Chiesa, 23 Samuele Pace.

All results to date:

Date Played	Venue	Opponent	WLD	Score For	Score Against	Match Type
12-01-2013	h	Biarritz Olympique	l	6	32	Heineken Cup
04-01-2013	a	Ospreys	l	15	16	RaboDirect PRO 12
29-12-2012	a	Benetton Treviso	l	18	26	RaboDirect PRO 12
22-12-2012	h	Benetton Treviso	l	3	10	RaboDirect PRO 12
15-12-2012	a	Harlequins	l	5	53	Heineken Cup
08-12-2012	h	Harlequins	l	14	57	Heineken Cup
01-12-2012	a	Leinster	l	7	37	RaboDirect PRO 12
25-11-2012	h	Cardiff Blues	l	7	14	RaboDirect PRO 12
18-11-2012	h	Ulster	l	25	27	RaboDirect PRO 12
03-11-2012	a	Scarlets	l	13	22	RaboDirect PRO 12
26-10-2012	a	Munster	l	3	29	RaboDirect PRO 12
20-10-2012	a	Biarritz Olympique	l	17	38	Heineken Cup
13-10-2012	h	Connacht	l	10	19	Heineken Cup
05-10-2012	h	Ospreys	l	16	34	RaboDirect PRO 12
28-09-2012	a	Glasgow Warriors	l	19	22	RaboDirect PRO 12
14-09-2012	a	Edinburgh	l	10	41	RaboDirect PRO 12
07-09-2012	h	Connacht	l	17	30	RaboDirect PRO 12
31-08-2012	a	Newport Gwent Dragons	l	6	37	RaboDirect PRO 12

...as is Dave Gannon

Just looking at the Eagles selection.

heard during the week that Rodney was injured but he is on the bench.

JP Cooney is on the bench for both! That really is stretching the squad to the limit

Fourdogs wrote: Hoping to get out of the City at 2.30 myself, not taking any chances with this rain/snow. Aiming for Huntsman for 5.30

5:30??? Think of me when you're drinking your pint, I'll be just through the toll booth

Hoping to get out of the City at 2.30 myself, not taking any chances with this rain/snow. Aiming for Huntsman for 5.30

This is a banana skin. I'll take a 1pt win. I see no reason for confidence that we can get a bp win. They aren't going to want to finish without a win and could have the same pent up frustration that we had last year going into the Quins game on the back of a horrendous losing streak. What's our motivation?

Welcome aboard Kilkenny.

I hope so. I think the players will be up for it tonight. They want to make amends for last week. I'm rarely confident of any bonus points for Connacht, but I have a feeling we'll do well tonight. Hope Poolman gets on early though. I like him.

Whats the forecast for tonight? Miserable in Dublin all day.
Leaving work at 4, getting into Galway just around 7, quick pint in O'Connells and up to the game

So whats the score predictions for today guys, can we get a bonus point win with that side ?

Back Row is quite weak being honest but we should have enough elsewhere to get the win. 3 from 6 would be a good HC campaign. Zebre are getting there and may cause us problems if we're not 100% tuned in. We almost handed Aironi an away win last season in the league only for a late flurry to save us so the intensity needs to be good from the off.

With all the injuries I was getting a bit worried but that's a very handy squad and its great that Parks is back. Pity about the ref though :dry:

the french ref for this is the lunatic who was stood down by the erc for his handling of munster v sarries st thomond.

i think he awarded 35 penalties that game, many of which are mindboggling to this day.

so prepare yourselves for potentially the most frustrating 80 min of your rugby lives!

Georgies injury must be worse than we thought, or did he pick up another one in training? Anyone know what the diagnosis is?

Three changes to Connacht team for round 6 clash

Eric Elwood has named his team to face Italian side Zebre in tomorrow’s Heineken Cup round 6 game at the Sportsground (KO 8pm).

The Head Coach has made three personnel changes to the starting XV following last week’s defeat to pool leaders Harlequins in London.

Out-half Dan Parks, who missed last week’s outing due to injury, returns to the fray tomorrow night, joining Kieran Marmion in the half back pairing.

There are no further changes to the back line with Robbie Henshaw, who today received a call-up to the extended Ireland squad, named at full back. Also called up to train with the national squad next week was Dave McSharry who starts at number 13 in the centre partnership with Eoin Griffin.

Tiernan O’Halloran, who is set to earn his 50th cap for the province, starts on the right wing while Fetu’u Vainikolo is named at number 11.

Up front, Denis Buckley, who is rested this week due to injury, makes way for Brett Wilkinson at Loosehead Prop.

Eoin McKeon has failed to shake off the ankle injury he picked up last weekend. And with George Naoupu still side-lined, Andrew Browne will move to the Number 8 position while Mick Kearney is named at Blindside Flanker.

On the bench, forwards JP Cooney and Dave Gannon, who were on B&I Cup duty last week, join the 23-man squad. Danie Poolman, on his recovery from injury, joins Paul O’Donohoe and Miah Nikora in the replacement backs.

KO at the Sportsground is at 8pm.

Connacht XV:

15 Robbie Henshaw
14 Tiernan O’Halloran
13 Eoin Griffin
12 Dave McSharry
11 Fetu’u Vainikolo
10 Dan Parks
9 Kieran Marmion

1 Brett Wilkinson
2 Jason Harris-Wright
3 Nathan White (C)
4 Michael Swift
5 Mike McCarthy
6 Mick Kearney
7 Johnny O’Connor
8 Andrew Browne

Replacements (from):

16 Ethienne Reynecke
17 JP Cooney
18 Ronan Loughney
19 Dave Gannon
20 Eoghan Grace
21 Paul O’Donohoe
22 Miah Nikora
23 Danie Poolman

Unavailable due to injury: Denis Buckley, Gavin Duffy, Willie Faloon, Matt Healy, Eoin McKeon, John Muldoon, Frank Murphy, Dave Nolan, George Naoupu

Pool 3: Connacht Rugby v Zebre

Friday, 18 January 2013, Kick off: 20:00, The Sportsground

Referee: Pascal Gauzère (Fra)

Assistant Ref: Jean-Luc Rebollal (Fra), Assistant Ref: Cyril Lafon (Fra)

TMO: Daniel Irazoqui (Fra), Citing Commissioner: Russell Howell (Wal)