Connacht vs Zebre: eight tries carry hosts to 48-27 URC win

Connacht won their second match in six days by running in eight tries against Zebre, beating the Italian side 48-27 at the Dexcom Stadium in Galway on Friday 23 October.

The United Rugby Championship match followed a Champions Cup win the weekend before. The result takes Connacht up to sixth on the URC log, while Zebre remain bottom.

Zebre score first, Connacht reply with five tries

Zebre struck first. Flanker Giacomo Ferrari crossed after five minutes, but the hosts answered with five first-half tries and led 33-17 at the break.

Dave Heffernan, playing his first game of the season after returning from injury, scored two of Connacht's eight tries. His second was the last try of the night, scored from a close-range maul. Fly-half Ciarán Frawley kicked four conversions.

Head coach Stuart Lancaster gave debuts to new signings Jerry Cahir and Will Connors.

"If you'd said to me at the start of the day, you would get close to 50 points, I'd have taken it," Lancaster said.

A first point for Zebre

The visitors did take something from Galway. Zebre scored five tries, enough for a try bonus point and their first log point of the season.

South African referee Hanru van Rooyen (SARU) was in charge of the match.

Connacht's push for the top eight

Connacht have now won two of their first four URC games. Their other league win was a narrow one over Benetton.

Lancaster knows how much work is still to come. "I know from last season you've got to be winning 10, 11 of your games out of the 18 to get in the top eight," he said.