Zebre Rugby arrive at the challenge with a victory at home against the Dragons and the excellent second half of the defeat against Glasgow where the Bianconeri managed to seize a 5-0 without conceding points in the second half to the Scottish side - now table leaders - marking a beautiful try with Berryman to secure the 26-5 final scoreline.
The previous meetings are not unfavorable: Zebre were victorious last season against Alun Wyn Jones and companions in Parma and were close to a win again in the first leg of this season at the Stadio Lanfranchi in the 15-16 final score. It is very hard to obtain a win at the Ospreys stadium - still unbeaten at home in the PRO12 this season.
For the occasion, the Italian group welcomes back seven Italian internationals who played in the Six Nations 2015: Palazzani, Orquera, Vunisa, Bortolami, Geldenhuys, Manici and Visentin while - as part of the game list - there is also flanker Ferrarini, away from official game time from September 2014 after the injury against Cardiff Blues in the season opener on his left knee.
Here's Zebre line-up for Saturday 28 March 2015 at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea (Wales) for the 18th round of the GUINNESS PRO12 against the Ospreys. Kick off at 7.15 pm local time:
15 Guglielmo Palazzani
14 Dion Berryman
13 Mirco Bergamasco
12 Gonzalo Garcia
11 Giulio Toniolatti
10 Luciano Orquera
9 Brendon Leonard
8 Samuela Vunisa
7 Filippo Cristiano
6 Valerio Bernabò
5 Marco Bortolami (cap)
4 Quintin Geldenhuys
3 Luca Redolfini
2 Oliviero Fabiani
1 Andrea De Marchi
Replacements:
16 Andrea Manici*
17 Luciano Leibson
18 Lorenzo Romano
19 Jacopo Sarto
20 Filippo Ferrarini*
21 Alberto Chillon*
22 Matteo Pratichetti
23 Michele Visentin*
Coach. Victor Jimenez
Not available for selection due to injury: Matias Aguero, Giulio Bisegni, Tommaso D'Apice*, Andrea Lovotti*, Edoardo Padovani*, Leonardo Sarto*, Andries Van Schalkwyk
* Former member of the Italian Rugby Union U20 academy "Ivan Francescato".
Referee: George Clancy (IRFU, 68th competition game; 2nd with Zebre Rugby)
Assistant Referees: Neil Hennessy and Jonathan Hardy (both WRU)
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (WRU)
Delayed tv coverage on Nuvolari TV in Italy on Sunday 29 March at 6pm local time. Live score text coverage on www.pro12rugby.com
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