Both teams approach the match after the first window of the European Cups which saw Biagi and his team mates obtain their first win against an English side in the 27-8 against Worcester Warriors in EPCR Challenge Cup.
The Scarlets got two defeats in the Champions Cup against the Northampton Saints and at home last weekend against the French side of Racing Metro 92, the first home defeat of the season after four wins in the Guinness PRO12.
Coach Pivac's team started this Guinness PRO12 campaing in a very positive way with six straight wins, including the success gained in Parma on October 4th; when Scarlets remounted Zebre in the second half winning 20-8. Next Sunday game will oppose two teams very different from the first leg of the encounter of the Stadio Lanfranchi: the two clubs have re-embraced quite twenty internationals committed until October 31 in the World Cup. In the seven previous meetings between the two teams Zebrae Rugby have never managed to overcome the Scarlets, seizing a draw in Parma and a defensive bonus point on the difficult pitch of Parc Y Scarlets in the 2013/14 season.
Parma based franchise will be without the injured internationals Geldenhuys and Leonardo Sarto, while a turn off was granted by the technical staff to two of the players most capped during this first part of the season like Chistolini and Meyer.
Zebre Rugby team manager Andrea de Rossi presents the Italian targets: "We face a team in great shape, most of all in their home stadium, nearly a fort in the Guinness PRO12. We'll take the field with a great desire to fight with the clear goal of making a good performance, really needed for our growth. Last Saturday Challenge Cup win over the Worcester Warrios gave us much moral and confidence. What we're working on more than anything is our confirmation at this high level of performance even on the away games".
Here's Zebre line-up for Sunday November 29th match at Parc Y Scarlets (Wales) for the 8th round of the Guinness PRO12 against the Scarlets. Kick off at 2.30 pm local time :
15 Guglielmo Palazzani
14 Dion Berryman
13 Giulio Bisegni
12 Matteo Pratichetti
11 Kayle Van Zyl
10 Carlo Canna
9 Luke Burgess
8 Andries Van Schalkwyk
7 Paul Derbyshire
6 Jacopo Sarto
5 George Biagi (cap)
4 Valerio Bernabò
3 Pietro Ceccarelli
2 Andrea Manici*
1 Andrea Lovotti*
Replacements :
16 Oliviero Fabiani
17 Andrea De Marchi
18 Guillermo Roan
19 Marco Bortolami
20 Federico Ruzza*
21 Filippo Ferrarini*
22 Tommaso Boni*
23 Edoardo Padovani*
Coach. Gianluca Guidi
*Former member of the Italian Rugby Union academy "Ivan Francescato" of Tirrenia.
Referee: George Clancy (Irish Rugby Football Union)
Assistant Referees: Leighton Hodges and Dan Jones (both Welsh Rugby Union)
TMO: Jon Mason (Welsh Rugby Union)
Live tv coverage in Italy on Rai Sport 1 and in Wales on S4C. Live text coverage of the game on www.pro12rugby.com
Guinness PRO12 Zebre News
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