**Both sides will be itching to get back to winning ways as Zebre host Connacht on Sunday afternoon.** The hosts go into the contest having been beaten 57-14 by high-flyers Ulster last time out but they did show plenty of promise in their two games preceding that where they were narrowly beaten at Scarlets and beat Ospreys. Connacht suffered a narrow 20-14 defeat at home to Scarlets in Round 6 but, after winning in Edinburgh in Round 3, Andy Friend’s side will need to win successive Championship away games for the first time in over a year if they are to bounce straight back. **What’s at stake** Despite Zebre’s recent improvement on the pitch, the results have largely still not come and Michael Bradley’s side remain rooted to the bottom of Conference A with just five points. However, Zebre’s most recent victory over an Irish province was against their Round 7 opponents, Connacht, in Galway in February 2018 and they have won three of their last five encounters with Friend’s men. On the other hand. having won twice and lost twice from the four games they have had so far this season, Connacht are within touching distance of second in Conference B. With games in hand over their rivals the province lie fourth, just four points off second, and a sixth straight win over Italian opponents would go some way to maintaining their Finals Series push. **What happened last time they met** While Connacht may have won the last meeting between these two sides, the performance was far from convincing.
