Zebre go back-to-back

The game had barely begun when both teams were able to celebrate tries, Dion Berryman going over for the hosts only for Adam Thomas to cancel it out at the other end.

But Zebre didn't panic after being pegged back and led 19-8 at half-time as Andries Van Schalkwyk and Johan Meyer went over.

Cardiff Blues found themselves trailing by just four points with ten minutes to go as Tom James dotted down, but with four minutes remaining, Van Schalkwyk was celebrating his second of the game to secure Zebre the bonus point victory and another win, having just beaten Edinburgh.

The visitors won this reverse fixture 61-13 on the opening day of the GUINNESS PRO12 season but an early knock on from the Welsh region had Zebre tails up and after four minutes the home side were celebrating a try as Carlo Canna offloaded to Berryman to race over in the corner.

Canna missed the conversion from out wide and just moments later Cardiff Blues were level as paitent play saw Rhys Patchell's floated pass sent Thomas over after eight minutes.

Patchell was also wide with his conversion attempt and Zebre were refusing to lie down, Leonardo Sarto threatening down the left wing, but some Blues cover defence snuffed out the danger.

The home side didn't have to wait long to go back in front though as Matteo Pratichetti pounced on a spilled ball and Van Schalkwyk finished the move off, with Canna adding the extras.

Canna had the chance to edge Zebre further in front when Cardiff Blues were pinged for side entry, but he sliced his kick wide on 23 minutes.

However, ten minutes later he redeemed himself with a superb kick in behind that Meyer picked up and dotted down; Canna converting.

Two minutes later Patchell sent a penalty through the posts to bring the visitors closer, but they had to defend sternly up until the half-time whistle as Zebre pushed for a fourth try.

Zebre thought they had that bonus-point try shortly after the restart as Canna went over in the corner, but the TMO showed that he was denied by a superb last-ditch tackle from Lloyd Williams.

Cardiff Blues then bagan to dominate territory and possession but the home side held firm, and at the other end Sarto beat two men only for Manoa Vosawai to win a penalty and relieve some pressure.

But just after the hour mark, Cardiff Blues were trailing by only four points as good work from Williams sent James over, with Patchell adding the extras.

Cardiff were in the ascendancy now and good work from Voaswai and Josh Navidi saw Patchell line up a kick at the posts, but his 64th-minute effort drifted wide of the left upright.

The Cardiff Blues scrum had Zebre on the back foot and resulted in Andrea De Marchi being sent to the bin with just over ten minutes remaining.

But the home side held firm and with four minutes to go Van Schalkwyk was celebrating a second try and Canna added the extras as Cardiff Blues suffered a fifth-straight PRO12 defeat.

The scorers:

For Zebre:

Tries: Van Schalkwyk 2, Meyer, Van Zyl

Cons: Canna 3

For Cardiff Blues: 

Tries: James, Thomas

Con: Patchell

Pen: Patchell

Teams:

Zebre: 15 Dion Berryman, 14 Kayle Van Zyl, 13 Giulio Bisegni, 12 Matteo Pratichetti, 11 Leonardo Sarto, 10 Carlo Canna, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Andries Van Schalkwyk, 7 Johan Meyer, 6 Jean Cook, 5 George Biagi (captain), 4 Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Dario Chistolini, 2 Andrea Manici, 1 Andrea Lovotti.

Replacements: 16 Oliviero Fabiani, 17 Andrea De Marchi, 18 Pietro Ceccarelli, 19 Valerio Bernabò, 20 Jacopo Sarto, 21 Marcello Violi, 22 Guglielmo Palazzani, 23 Edoardo Padovani.

Cardiff Blues: 15 Dan Fish, 14 Blaine Scully, 13 Tom Isaacs, 12 Adam Thomas, 11 Tom James, 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Tavis Knoyle, 8 Josh Navidi (captain) 7 Ellis Jenkins, 6 Josh Turnbull, 5 James Down, 4 Lou Reed, 3 Taufa'ao Filise, 2 Matthew Rees, 1 Sam Hobbs,

Replacements: 16 Ethan Lewis, 17 Thomas Davies, 18 Craig Mitchell, 19 Macauley Cook, 20 Manoa Vosawai, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Gareth Davies, 23 Garyn Smith.

Referee: David Wilkinson (Ireland)

Assistant referees: Matteo Liperini (Italy), tba

TMO: Alan Falzone (Italy)

Connacht 14-9 Edinburgh

Tiernan O'Halloran scored the only try of the game as Connacht edged past Edinburgh 14-9 at the Sportsground to move up to second in the PRO12 table.

O'Halloran's effort, following Matt Healy's impressive break from halfway, and a Jack Carty penalty helped Connacht into a narrow 8-6 lead at the break.

Two further Carty penalties, compared to Edinburgh's one, was enough to seal the victory after the interval as the Irish side continued their impressive start to the campaign.

Both sides headed into the game having lost just one PRO12 encounter from five this term and it was Connacht who got on the board first as Carty slotted an eighth-minute penalty after Edinburgh were penalised for coming in at the side.

And that became 8-0 just two minutes later as Healy's incisive break from halfway saw him link up with O'Halloran who raced over to touch down.

Carty's conversion attempt hit the post and the eight-point advantage was reduced to five soon after as Sam Hidalgo-Clyne booted a penalty for Edinburgh, although a rolling maul had almost seen them over the line for a try.

After getting on the board, the visitors continued to push forward with Blair Kinghorn looking a consistent danger with ball in hand.

But it was the powerful boot of the fullback that earned the Scottish side their next score as he kicked a penalty from just inside his own half to narrow the gap to 8-6 at half-time.

Carty's second three-pointer just after the break restored Connacht's five-point lead and the 23-year-old then exchanged penalties with Hidalgo-Clyne as the score moved to 14-9.

Edinburgh had won both their fixtures against Irish provinces earlier this season, downing Leinster and Ulster, and continued to pressurise Connacht as they sought to make it three-from-three.

Yet as the game moved towards its conclusion, it was the men from Galway who looked more likely to score, Craig Ronaldson knocking on in a good position following an attacking line-out.

Carty then had two chances to put the game beyond Edinburgh in the final five minutes only to see one penalty go wide before a second fell just short.

Edinburgh lock Fraser McKenzie was sin-binned and although the Scots put together over 15 phases in search of a winning score as the clock seeped into red, Finlay Bealham won a turnover at the breakdown as Pat Lam's men held on leaving their opponents to settle for a losing bonus point.

The scorers:

For Connacht:

Try: O'Halloran

Pens: Carty 3

For Edinburgh:

Pens: Hidalgo-Clyne 2, Kinghorn

Teams: 

Connacht: 15 Tiernan O’Halloran, 14 Darragh Leader, 13 Bundee Aki, 12 Craig Ronaldson, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Eoghan Masterson, 7 Nepia Fox-Matamua, 6 John Muldoon (captain), 5 Andrew Browne, 4 Aly Muldowney, 3 Rodney Ah You, 2 Tom McCartney, 1 Denis Buckley.

Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 Finlay Bealham, 18 Nathan White, 19 Quinn Roux, 20 Eoin McKeon, 21 Ian Porter, 22 Rory Parata, 23 Niyi Adeolokun.

Edinburgh: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Damien Hoyland, 13 Chris Dean, 12 Sam Beard, 11 Will Helu, 10 Phil Burleigh, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 8 Nasi Manu, 7 Roddy Grant, 6 Mike Coman (captain), 5 Fraser McKenzie, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 John Andress, 2 Neil Cochrane, 1 Rory Sutherland.

Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Allan Dell, 18 Simon Berghan, 19 Alex Toolis, 20 Cornell Du Preez, 21 Sean Kennedy, 22 Dougie Fife, 23 Nick McLennan.

Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)

Assistant referees: Mark Patton (Ireland), Stuart Douglas (Ireland)