Zebre make two changes to face Ospreys
Zebre host Ospreys in the re-arranged Guinness PRO14 round 17 fixture on Saturday. The match will kick off at 6.45 pm local time (17:45 in the UK) at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.
Last weekend’s win against the Dragons in L’Aquila has been the fifth seasonal success in Guinness PRO14 for Zebre, which equalled their previous win record in the tournament.
Zebre therefore hope to set a new record of victories in the tournament if they beat the Ospreys tomorrow in front of their home fans.
With the Connacht’s loss in round 20, the Welshmen secured their slot in the Champions Cup play-off, scheduled on the weekend of 18-20th May, against their Conference B opponent.
Yesterday Zebre Rugby Club announced the departure of ten players at the end of the season.
The Lanfranchi audience will have the chance to say goodbye to six Italian internationals Valerio Bernabò, Tommaso D’Apice, Andrea Manici, Andrea Marchi, Matteo Pratichetti and Jacopo Sarto, to Samoan center Faialaga Afamasaga, to Argentinian utility-back Serafin Bordoli, to South African back-row Derick Minnie and to the Irish, but Australian-born -=Rory Parata.
Head coach Michael Bradley has chosen the starting line-up to face the Ospreys. The Irishman confirmed almost all the team that faced the Dragons last Saturday at Fattori Stadium in L’Aquila), opting only for two changes.
Italian international hooker Oliviero Fabiani and tight-head prop Dario Chistolini come in to the front row along with loose-head prop Lovotti, who retains his place from last week.
The back line will be made up of Italian players. At fullback Matteo Minozzi will perform alongside wingers Mattia Bellini and Giovanbattista Venditti.
Giulio Bisegni and captain Tommaso Castello will wear the No. 13 and the No. 12 jerseys respectively. Fly-half Carlo Canna will pair with scrum-half Marcello Violi.
In the back-row, number 8 David Sisi will start again alongside flankers Johan Meyer and Jacopo Sarto. George Biagi will be deployed in the lock unit together with Leonard Krumov.
The referee for the tomorrow clash between Zebre and Ospreys will be Lloyd Linton, in his 19th game of the competition.
Keith Allen (SRU) and Andrea Piardi (FIR) have been selected as assistant referees, while the TMO will be Charles Samson (SRU).
Here’s Zebre Rugby Club line-up for Saturday, April 21 match at the Stadio Lanfranchi in Parma (Italy) for the rearranged 17th round of the Guinness PRO14 against the Welsh side of Ospreys. Kick-off at 6.45 pm local time (5.45 pm in the UK):
15 Matteo Minozzi*
14 Mattia Bellini
13 Giulio Bisegni
12 Tommaso Castello (cap)
11 Giovanbattista Venditti*
10 Carlo Canna
9 Marcello Violi*
8 David Sisi
7 Johan Meyer
6 Jacopo Sarto
5 George Biagi
4 Leonard Krumov*
3 Dario Chistolini
2 Oliviero Fabiani
1 Andrea Lovotti*
Replacements:
16 Luhandre Luus*
17 Cruze Ah-Nau
18 Eduardo Bello
19 Valerio Bernabò
20 Derick Minnie
21 Guglielmo Palazzani
22 Edoardo Padovani*
23 Gabriele Di Giulio*
Coach. Michael Bradley
Not available for selection due to injury: Tommaso Boni*, Ciaran Gaffney, Renato Giammarioli*, Andrea Manici*, Maxime Mbandà*, Matteo Pratichetti
*Former member of the Italian Rugby Union academy “Ivan Francescato” of Parma
Referee: Lloyd Linton (Scottish Rugby Union)
Assistant Referees: Keith Allen (Scottish Rugby Union) and Andrea Piardi (Federazione Italiana Rugby)
TMO: Charles Samson (Scottish Rugby Union)
Live tv coverage of the game in Italy on Eurosport 2, channel 211 of the pay per view broadcaster Sky TV and 373 of Mediaset Premium, and on live streaming on www.eurosportplayer.it.
Live text coverage of the game on www.pro14rugby.org and on Zebre Rugby twitter account with the official game hashtag #ZEBvOSP.
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