Connacht secures decisive victory over Zebre in European Challenge Cup opener

Connacht initiated their European Challenge Cup campaign with a comfortable 43-12 victory over Zebre in a wind-swept Galway, scoring seven tries. Zebre centre Enrico Lucchin tackled Connacht’s Santiago Cordero during the match. The score breakdown was as follows: Connacht: (17) 43, with tries from Mullins (3), Tierney-Martin, Boyle (2), Cordero, and conversions by Carty (2), Naughton (2). Zebre: (5) 12, with tries from Stavile, Fusco, and a conversion by Da Re. The Italian squad, Zebre, initially took the lead with a try from Bautista Stavile Bravin before Connacht established dominance. Chay Mullins marked his Connacht debut by scoring two tries, and Dylan Tierney-Martin contributed a third, securing a 17-5 halftime lead for the Irish team. In the second half, further tries from Paul Boyle, Mullins, and Santiago Cordero extended Connacht’s lead. Alessandro Fusco scored Zebre’s second try, preceding Boyle’s completion of his second try late in the contest. Connacht benefited from the wind in the initial half, yet Zebre’s early offensive efforts paid off when Stavile Bravin scored in the corner at the six-minute mark. Kicking proved challenging due to the conditions, with Giovanni Montemauri missing both a conversion and a penalty. Mullins then scored his first try in the corner, followed by a converted try six minutes subsequent. Tierney-Martin scored following a lineout maul, after which Zebre’s Rusiate Nasove received a yellow card prior to halftime. Boyle, celebrating his 100th appearance for Connacht, secured the bonus point by scoring from a scrum. Mullins achieved his hat-trick, and Cordero also scored a try, before Fusco’s effort brought Zebre’s score into double digits. Boyle finalized the try-scoring for the evening, with Jack Carty and Sean Naughton each successfully converting two tries for the home side. The team lineups for the match were as follows: Connacht: Jennings; Mullins, Hawkshaw, Forde, Cordero; Carty, Blade; Duggan, Tierney-Martin, Aungier; Murray, Dowling; Murphy, Hurley-Langton, Boyle. Replacements: De Buitlear, Lasisi, Barrett, O’Connor, McCormack, Devine, Naughton, Ralston. Zebre: Montemauri; Bozzoni, Drago, Lucchin, Gesi; Da Re, Dominguez; Buonfiglio, Bigi (capt), Hasa; Canali, Krumov; Milano, Stavile Bravin, Ferrari. Replacements: Ribaldi, Rizzoli, Nocera, Nasove, Andreani, Fusco, Bianchi, Gregory.