RaboDirect PRO12: Zebre v Munster preview
Zebre go in search of their first ever PRO12 win when they host Munster at Stadio XXV Aprile in Parma on Friday.
Last Updated: 02/05/13 2:50pm
The home side are desperate to finish the season on a high, after gaining nine losing bonus points - many of them by the narrowest of margins - in their 21 previous matches.
Zebre welcome back Italy internationals, centre Gonzalo Garcia and hooker Davide Giazzo, as well as their South African number eight Andries van Schalkwyk.
The trio have all recovered from injury and return to the starting XV after missing Zebre's last match - a 41-22 defeat to Leinster two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, it's a much changed Munster side that will take to the field against their Italian hosts following their narrow 16-10 defeat to Clermont Auvergne in their Heineken Cup semi-final.
Not surprisingly perhaps most of the frontliners are left at home in Ireland with the notable exception of Paul O'Connell who was named in the British and Irish Lions squad last Tuesday.
Besides O'Connell, of those who started last weekend in Montpellier, only three, Casey Laulala, Dave Kilcoyne & Mike Sherry, will start against Zebre.
Zebre: 15 Ruggero Trevisan, 14 Giovanbattista Venditti, 13 Alberto Benettin, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 Sinoti Sinoti, 10 Daniel Halangahu, 9 Tito Tebaldi, 8 Andries Van Schalkwyk, 7 Mauro Bergamasco, 6 Filippo Ferrarini, 5 Marco Bortolami (c), 4 Josh Sole, 3 David Ryan, 2 Davide Giazzon, 1 Matias Aguero.
Replacements: 16 Andrea Mancini, 17 Luciano Leibson, 18 Andrea de Marchi, 19 Emiliano Caffini, 20 Filippo Cristiano, 21 Alberto Chillon, 22 Matteo Pratichetti, 23 Samuele Pace.
Munster: 15 Denis Hurley, 14 Ronan O'Mahony, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Ian Keatley, 11 Johne Murphy, 10 JJ Hanrahan, 9 Cathal Sheridan, 8 Paddy Butler. 7 Sean Dougall, 6 Dave O'Callaghan, 5 Paul O'Connell (c), 4 Billy Holland, 3 John Ryan, 2 Mike Sherry, 1 David Kilcoyne.
Replacements: 16 Damian Varley, 17 James Cronin, 18 BJ Botha, 19 Ian Nagle, 20 Johnny Holland, 21 Duncan Williams, 22 Cian Bohane, 23 Felix Jones.