Zebre next season.

Did anyone see that Zebre signed Brendon Leonard?

I don't know much about him myself but has 13 caps for the All blacks, and at 28 can't be said to be an over the hill player.

I guess that he must be good as you don't get that many caps for the All blacks without being good.
He's a player I will keep an eye out for and appears to be a step up from Tebaldi. Orquera has been a better player in recent years and while can be hit or miss, should give Zebre a good half back pair.

Overall I think they look stronger, and I was prepared to give them a bye last year and the squad gets to know each other, training and playing pitches etc. I expect them to improve this year, I still suspect they will finish bottom but this time I think they will win a number of games and make a fight of who finishes bottom.

Very good signing for them. Hoping to see them kick on now like Trevisio have.

They have also signed Iannone from Treviso who is a very decent player, they also got a big 8 in Vunisa from the Italian championship, will be interesting to see him in action.
On the other hand they lost Sinoti Sinoti theit most dangerous back and Halangahu, who was good ball in hand but a terrible kicker.

By the way the just won their first friendly against Aurillac 17-12

They'll be fighting it out with the Dragons and the Scarlets for 12th spot again.

Fighting it out would be a big improvement on last season.Just being competitive would be a good season even if they finish last again.Hopefully they can build up a support base and over time grow into a team that can hold it's own.

Kingshu - who do you think Zebre will beat, and why?

Hound I believe Zebre are capable of beating Dragons, Connacht, Edinburgh at home any day and then games during international windows or against complacent sides are a lottery. Remember last season they were very unlucky not to beat Ulster (1st) in Italy, not to beat Glasgow (3rd) in Scotstoun... very lucky escapes by both teams there, in both cases the result was down to Zebre panicking and losing their heads when they were in a winning position rather than the two Top 4 teams earning the win.

Zebre had nine losing bonus points last year and definitely would have had at least 2 or 3 wins if it wasn't for them carrying the psychological burden of never having won, maybe even as many as 4 or 5. You saw it in a number of games- they would catch someone on an off-day, be the better side and then when they were in a winning position in the last 10 minutes they would tense up the closer the final whistle came start making more and more errors, their body language would turn bad- then they'd lose the lead, inevitably. Heartbreakingly. Truly the architects of their own downfall.

People say they can't win any games, the only reason they hadn't 3 or 4 wins last season is they choked at the end of very tight games. Get one win, that problem will be alleviated hopefully. It'll release a lot of tension. They're not a good side. But the race for the bottom of the league is not a foregone conclusion.

Bit of a backtrack Kingshu, when you were adamant they would finish above the Dragons before you saw a finalised squad for this season.

They will compete with us and a few others, but they are also a bit unfortunate that teams like Dragons, Blues, Edinburgh etc shouldn't be as bad this season. Time will tell.

I do think Dragons will finish ahead of Zebre- as will everyone imo- but the gap should close on them and the rest of the league.

Brendan Leonard to Zebre is right up there with Craig Clarke to Connacht and Ruan Pienaar to Ulster as one of the biggest transfer coups in the recent history of the league. Leonard is quality, may never have made the international breakthrough expected of him, but he would get into most Pro12 sides.

Very good signing for Zebre, brings a quality 9 who should be in his prime to orchestrate a powerful set of forwards. That added direction could be key for their development.

Notch, judging by his performance for the Chiefs yesterday the Connacht signing of Craig Clarke is a master stroke.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Very good signing for Zebre, brings a quality 9 who should be in his prime to orchestrate a powerful set of forwards. That added direction could be key for their development.

Notch, judging by his performance for the Chiefs yesterday the Connacht signing of Craig Clarke is a master stroke.

Clarke has been phenomenal for the Chiefs all season. It really is a wonder signing for Connacht. James So'oialo is a pretty sharp signign as well.

Shifty wrote:They'll be fighting it out with the Dragons and the Scarlets for 12th spot again.

Dragons, Scarlets and Blues.

It's great for the league that we still have quality players like Brendan Leonard, Craig Clarke, Leigh Halfpenny, Tim Visser, Sam Warburton, Toby Faletau scattered through teams that aren't expected to challenge for the playoffs.

Notch wrote:Hound I believe Zebre are capable of beating Dragons, Connacht, Edinburgh at home any day and then games during international windows or against complacent sides are a lottery. Remember last season they were very unlucky not to beat Ulster (1st) in Italy, not to beat Glasgow (3rd) in Scotstoun... very lucky escapes by both teams there, in both cases the result was down to Zebre panicking and losing their heads when they were in a winning position rather than the two Top 4 teams earning the win.

Didn't they come within a gnat's crotchet of beating the Ospreys at the Liberty, too? Or am I thinking of Treviso?

Their first win is key and with a better scum half he will know how to close out the game. All the teams that finished above them in the bottom half are stronger though. But as has been pointed out yhey got nine LBP which shows how close they were.

I think we will know in the first five games how much they have improved.

You are correct Lucky;

Ospreys 16-15 Zebre
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20893173

Zebre 25-27 Ulster (4 tries AND a LBP!)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20338262

Glasgow 22-19 Zebre
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/19733554

Zebre 25-27 Munster
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22386141

If even one of those games had gone the other way, it would cast a very different light on their season and it could have been the catalyst for more wins- apart from the last game which was the final game of their season. The game was a meaningless dead rubber for Munster, who rested most of their frontliners, and I was so gutted that Zebre didn't win that game! They were the better side for sixty mins and again they crumbled in the last twenty... missed a penalty that would have won it too.

Connacht did better at closing out games with parks.

A good set of half backs really is key to winning games.  Knowing when to push and when to hold is key to any team.  Look at rog last year did better with him for the main even though he wasn't as good as keatley.

Tebaldi was all out attack where as this new guy will be much more clever with the ball.

They will probably come last again but it would be really nice to see some improvement from them. I wish the Italian rugby union were able to prise back all their overseas Italian players like Castro, Parisse etc.

Clarke for Connacht will be the same as Muller for Ulster - a transformative signing.
 
I agree that half backs are key - Niko Matawalu completely transformed Glasgow's backline, practically overnight. Edinburgh struggled when Mike Blair left, Ulster were brought into the premier league with Pienaar's service and goalkicking and Fotuali'i made Ospreys twice as dangerous on the break. By the same token, the lack of a class leading 10 is probably the biggest impediment to Glasgow winning the league this year.
 
I really hope Zebre push on because their supporters deserve more joy for their team's efforts.

Another win for Zebre 14-12 against french pro d2 side Bezier.

I'm not so sure they have improved even if the likes of Leonard and Garcia werent playing.

VinceWLB wrote:Another win for Zebre 14-12 against french pro d2 side Bezier.

I'm not so sure they have improved even if the likes of Leonard and Garcia werent playing.

First game they ever played was against saints and they won. We will know in about five games if theh are better.

Zebre will be better, I don't dispute that. But I also think teams above them will be.

Some canny moves by Zebre this off season. They had some great moments last.

That said, the lower placed teams are all reinforcing. Connacht have made a few moves and Dragons ha e a fantastic coaching team and a squad full of potential.

The league will be tougher again this year.