In Monigo there is the crucial point of the cup: Crowley chooses Riccioni on the front line Against the Irish (still in the running) the burning defeat in the 80 ‘must be avenged
/ TREVISO
With a thousand fans, the Lions would have had a formidable push, but even behind closed doors, concentration, self-denial and determination are not discussed: this match with Connacht is the crucial point towards the Rainbow Cup final, the first concluding act of a Cup in Treviso. European rugby team and third overall after the Eurocup basketball final four in 2011 and the women’s volleyball Champions League F4 in 2017.
FIRST TO DEFEND
Benetton takes the field to defend the primacy in the Northern Hemisphere, which they hold at 14 points after three games: Munster, Ospreys, Warriors and Scarlets chase him at 10. Connacht are eighth at 9 but in the last round they went on to win 24-20 on the Munster “ground”. Last night Munster-Cardiff was played, today there is Dragons-Warriors. Treviso will end on 11 June in Swansea with Ospreys and on Friday 4 there are Connacht-Ospreys and Warriors-Leinster. In short, should they be able to make the poker of victories, ours would be a step and a half from the historic final on friendly grass, Saturday 19th. recognizes Paolo Garbisi – maintaining the physical standard, and above all mental, is a big challenge for us. So even the empty passes in the last few games, see the last 10 minutes against the Zebras, will be avoided against a well-equipped team, which won the last two games at the last minute ».
FOUND THE XV TYPE
For the third time in a row coach Kieran Crowley confirms almost all the 23 distributed between the XV and the bench: among the owners the only change concerns the front row, there is Marco Riccioni in place of Pippo Alongi. Our team had two weeks to load up and finish their preparation for the most important game of their season so far. In theory, the Irish are still in the running for first place, so let’s expect an opponent who is as determined as ever, who will really give it his all, as confirmed by his coach Andy Friend: “We play against a Benetton who will be motivated to keep first place , but we also have a lot to play for, so it should be a great match ». The neroverdi among other things will celebrate the presence n. 200 of the Buckley pylon; the other important news is the return after three months, for a 4-day suspension, of the Aki center. Eye because on February 26 he was the author of the decisive goal in Monigo, at 80 ‘, in what was one of the most unfortunate defeats (17-19) of Benetton’s troubled Pro 14 season. So far, Leoni and the Irish have faced each other 19 times, 4 green-and-white wins, 14 for Connacht and a draw: the fifth would certainly be the most important.
SO IN THE FIELD
PLAYING IN: Treviso, Monigo stadium, 6.15 pm BENETTON: Hayward; Padovani, Brex, Zanon, Ioane; Garbisi, Duvenage; Halafihi, Lamaro, Negri; Ruzza, Cannon; Riccioni, Els, Gallo. Available: Lucchesi, Nemer, Alongi, Herbst, Zuliani, Barbini, Braley, Tavuyara. Herds Crowley. CONNACHT: Porch; Sullivan, Aki, Daly, Wootton; Fitzgerald, Marmion; Boyle, Butler, Prendergast; Dillane, Murray; Beacham, Delahunt, Buckley. Available: Heffernan, McAllister, Robertson-McCoy, Dowling, Papali’i, Blade, Carty, Arnold. All. Friend. REFEREE: Gnecchi (Italy) MEDIA: direct on DAZN. –