Dec 08,2024
Connacht defied difficult weather conditions in Galway to get their Challenge Cup campaign under way with a convincing 43-12 win over Zebre, with debutant Chay Mullins bagging a hat-trick of tries.
Bautista Stavile gave the visitors a shock lead in the sixth minute, but that was as good as it got for an overmatched Zebre outfit.
Connacht rebounded from the early deficit with a brace of tries from Mullins, who is better known for his exploits in the realm of sevens, and Dylan Tierney-Martin then crossed the whitewash to ensure that Pete Wilkins' charges enjoyed a 17-5 half-time lead.
Paul Boyle got on the scoresheet on his 100th appearance for the province after the restart from a scrum to earn Connacht a bonus point.
Mullins then added to his first-half brace before Santiago Cordero got in on the scoring act.
Alessandro Fusco added a consolation try for Zebre, but it was the centurion Boyle who wrapped up the tryscoring at the death, with Sean Naughton adding the extras on a difficult night for kickers at a windy Dexcom Stadium.
While Mullins will garner many of the headlines, nascent talents Sean Naughton from Galway and Mayo's Fiachna Barrett also made encouraging debuts as they made the step up from academy level.
Connacht: Jennings; Mullins, Hawkshaw, Forde, Cordero; Carty, Blade; Duggan, Tierney-Martin, Aungier; Murray, Dowling; Murphy, Hurley-Langton, Boyle
Replacements: De Buitlear, Lasisi, Barrett, O'Connor, McCormack, Devine, Naughton, Ralston
Zebre: Montemauri; Bozzoni, Drago, Lucchin, Gesi; Da Re, Dominguez; Buonfiglio, Bigi (capt), Hasa; Canali, Krumov; Milano, Stavile Bravin, Ferrari
Replacements: Ribaldi, Rizzoli, Nocera, Nasove, Andreani, Fusco, Bianchi, Gregory
Referee: Adam Jones
