Joaquin Riera, center of the Lions, towards the advance on Friday at Ulster “Very physical team, we will not be in our comfort zone: great test”
TREVISO
The presale for the match against the Ospreys on Saturday 16 at 16 in Monigo, the fourth and third home in Urc, has been open since yesterday. Tickets can be purchased online on the ticketone website, also at the Benetton headquarters in Ghirada until Friday 15, excluding Saturdays and Sundays, 15-18 hours, at the Treviso Granziera tobacconists in via Montello and Jolly in Piazza Trentin. At the stadium presale only on Saturday 16 from 10. First, however, there is a forbidden challenge for the faint of heart. The referee of Ulster-Benetton, the third match of the Lions in Urc scheduled for Friday at 20.35 at the Kingspan in Belfast: is the South African Al Jacobs, 36, with just four appearances behind him (at home).
Regarding the Irish, the only team with Munster with full points after two games (10 points against 8 for the Lions), this is the situation in the infirmary: the certain absent are McCloskey (hamstring), Murphy (ankle), Stockdale (ankle) and Lyttle (back), all injured in training. Also unavailable for Friday are Izuchukwu (knee), Marshall (knee), McGrath (hip), Henderson (thumb), Treadwell (shoulder), Cooney (hamstring) and Baloucoune (groin).
Benetton for its part continues the preparation: the words are from the center Joaquin Riera: «In Belfast we expect a very physical match, very physically intense, plus we have the difficulty of one day less recovery. We have to focus above all on recovering well: it would obviously be nice for us to bring home the result, we work for that and this week is very important in that sense. Historically, Ulster is a very difficult field for Benetton, but we are a growing team and we are very energized. We want to be a competitive team that goes on such difficult trips to win ». It is your first trip: any problems in the mental approach? «It may be, because we are certainly not in Monigo’s comfort zone, it will be a different day than when we play at home, but we want to be a competitive team and we must also adapt to these different situations. Like a long away match, playing in the evening or the weather conditions, so we prepare the match to face these difficulties and do the best we can ». In this Benetton every player must always fight hard to enter the XV. “There can’t be a better environment than this. The fact that there are so many players in my role, as well as in the others, is a very positive thing in my opinion. In addition, each makes the other feel pushed, because he has to improve and be ready for every training, there is a lot of competitiveness. It is a very important aspect, because it pushes every player to give their best ». –
Silvano Focarelli