Match Preview – Zebre

Glasgow Warriors return to Guinness PRO14 duty on Friday night, as Dave Rennie’s men welcome Zebre to Scotstoun in an all-Conference A clash.

After almost
a month away from competitive action, the Warriors will be looking to hit the
ground running as they continue their push for a place in the 2019/20 Guinness
PRO14 Final Series.

A 45-7
victory over Sale Sharks sent Rennie’s men into the break in the best possible
form, having run in six tries to close out the 2019/20 Heineken Champions Cup
group stages.

With both
sides also benefitting from the release of selected Guinness Six Nations squad
players, it should be an entertaining encounter under the Friday night lights.

Tickets are still available for Glasgow Warriors’ first match in almost a month – secure your seat at Scotstoun here

Here’s how
Zebre are shaping up ahead of Friday night:

Zebre Form
Guide

Michael
Bradley’s side currently sit sixth in Guinness PRO14 Conference A, having won
two of their 10 matches in the competition so far this season.

A brace of
hefty defeats against Edinburgh and the Scarlets sandwiched a try bonus-point
defeat to the Dragons in the opening stages of the club’s campaign, before a
turgid 3-0 defeat at home to Leinster earned them a losing bonus-point against
the defending champions.

Two further
losses at the hands of Ulster and Glasgow Warriors followed, before Bradley’s
men returned from European Challenge Cup action with a thumping 39-12 win away
to the Dragons in round seven.

Whilst it
was Benetton who emerged victorious in both festive derbies, an impressive
41-13 win over playoff-chasing Cheetahs sees Zebre come to Scotstoun in winning
form in the Guinness PRO14.

Off-season
farewells

Zebre parted
company with a couple of Italian flyers over the off-season, as full-back
Matteo Minozzi joined English Premiership side Wasps whilst Giovanbatista
Venditti hung up his boots for the final time.

Experienced
prop Dario Chistolini said farewell to the Stadio Lanfranchi, whilst fellow
front-rower Cruze Ah-Nau was another to part ways with the Guinness PRO14
outfit.

Pacific
Island duo Matu Tevi and James Brown also departed the club, the latter joining
Russian side Enisei STM.

New
arrivals

Bradley and
his coaching team recruited cannily over the summer, with new Italy captain
Luca Bigi amongst those to have linked up with Zebre ahead of the 2019/20
season.

Experienced
Romanian prop Alexandru Tarus was a shrewd acquisition from Sale Sharks,
joining Irish second-row duo Ian Nagle and Mick Kearney in making the switch to
Parma.

Charlie
Walker was another to join Zebre in the off-season, the English winger
providing an additional attacking threat following his move from Harlequins.

Ones to
Watch

A proven
finisher in the English Premiership, the Warriors wingers will be keeping a
close eye on Walker on Friday night. A winger with rapid acceleration and
footwork to wriggle through the smallest of gaps, the Englishman is someone who
can make a difference in any match.

Josh Renton
will be hoping to run Zebre’s attack from scrum-half under the floodlights,
with the New Zealander likely to be involved in the absence of Italian
international Guglielmo Palazzani. The 25-year-old is in his second season with
the club, having previously represented the Highlanders in Super Rugby.

With over
100 appearances in the Guinness PRO14 during his days as a player for both
Connacht and Leinster, Mick Kearney offers a dynamic ball-carrying option to
the Zebre pack. Comfortable in either the second-row or on the flank, the
28-year-old will be looking to influence proceedings wherever possible.

Previous
Encounters

It was the
Warriors who drew first blood this season, as Rennie’s men proved too strong
for Zebre in Parma back in November.

Two tries
from man-of-the-match George Horne, alongside scores from Adam Hastings, Ratu
Tagive and Nick Frisby, ensured that the squad would return to Glasgow with all
five points after a 31-7 victory.

It was a
similar story in 2018/19, with Glasgow emerging victorious in both meetings
between the two sides.

A 36-8
victory at Scotstoun was followed up by a comprehensive 42-10 win at the Stadio
Lanfranchi, Matt Fagerson crossing for two of Glasgow’s six tries on the night.

Match
officials

Joy Neville
will take charge under the Scotstoun floodlights on Friday night, with the
Irish referee having previously been the woman in the middle for Glasgow’s 50-0
victory over the Southern Kings earlier this season.