At Lanfranchi with the Zebre Benetton seeks confirmation after the boom with Glasgow Crowley puts Padovani on the wing. Duvenage: “Let’s focus on our game”
/ TREVISO
The Rainbow Cup is back and here is the third Italian derby of the season (on Dazn). The “double” inflicted by the Zebras in the regular season on Benetton is one that still burns, also because it hasn’t happened for 6 years, today then there is the first chance to seek revenge in a tournament that projected the Lions in the first round in the lead with the unexpected as bombastic 46-19 trimmed to the Warriors, while the feds picked up the bonus point after the 18-24 immediately in Edinburgh. It therefore seems that Treviso, with the recovery of several national teams, is proceeding with that march that this year it was never able to get into gear; confirmation is needed, without ever forgetting that this is still a very special race, which never starts with a real favorite as it is always imbued with new moods and situations.
To confirm that coach Crowley has finally found his XV, the turnover is limited to the change of a single player compared to the anti-Glasgow one, namely Padovani in the wing instead of Sarto. On the bench the presence of Tavuyara stands out, which could become the tactical weapon. Waiting for the performance of Garbisi, one who at 21 is already studying as a leader. «The last performance against Glasgow was very good – explains scrum-half Dewaldt Duvenage – even the previous ones were good and we are in an excellent moment. The boys are playing well, facing challenges together. Repeating the race with the Warriors will not be easy. The players know each other, we have to focus on our game, do the easy things well and we hope to manage the pressure of the Zebras ». In derbies you always suffer. «The derbies are always special matches, full of pathos, for many of our team and the Zebras it is important to show off from a national perspective. In any case, we are happy with our position in the standings and with our latest performances. We have to concentrate on our race and be precise throughout the race ». Bradley, on the other hand, to extend the winning streak against Benetton, changes 5: the two teams have crossed paths in the previous 22, with 15 successes for the green-and-whites and 7 for the Zebre so far. The last derby won by the Treviso team is the one in Parma on 30 August 2020, when the green-and-whites beat Lanfranchi 16-9 thanks to the two goals of Monty Ioane. And in the next few days the definitive calendar is expected: after the two derbies, Connacht and Ospreys are expected as opponents.
PLAYED IN: Parma, Lanfranchi stadium, 7 pm. ZEBRE: Biondelli; Bruno, Mori, Boni, Di Giulio; Pescetto, Casilio; Giammarioli, Meyer, Leavasa; Nagle, Sisi; Bello, Bigi, Fischetti. A disp. Fabiani, Buonfiglio, Nocera, Krumov, Bianchi, Palazzani, Canna, Lucchin. All. Bradley. BENETTON: Hayward; Padovani, Brex, Zanon, Ioane; Garbisi, Duvenage; Halafihi, Lamaro, Favretto; Ruzza, Cannone; Alongi, Els, Gallo. A disp. Lucchesi, Nemer, Riccioni, Herbst, Negri, Zuliani, Braley, Tavuyara. All. Crowley. REFEREE: Piardi. –