Ulster find themselves looking to return to winning ways after starting 2023 with a 14-15 home defeat to interprovincial rivals Munster on New Year's Day.
Benetton play their first game of the year and will be hoping to make it three wins in a row in the URC, after beating fellow Italian side Zebre Parma both home and away in December.
Across both games they scored an impressive 78 points on the board so will be feeling confident heading into the clash.
Match Details
🤝 Benetton Rugby v Ulster Rugby
🗓 Saturday 7 January, 1pm
🏟 Stadio Monigo 🇮🇹
🏆 BKT United Rugby Championship Round 12
📺 Live on Viaplay and URC.tv
Team News
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="it" dir="ltr">🦁 I 23 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/biancoverdi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#biancoverdi</a> scelti per la gara di domani contro <a href="https://twitter.com/UlsterRugby?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UlsterRugby</a> <br>🏆 12º Round <a href="https://twitter.com/URCOfficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@URCOfficial</a><br>📅 06.01.2023<br>⌚️ 14:00 🇮🇹<br>🏟️ Monigo di Treviso<br>📱 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BENvULS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BENvULS</a><br>🖥 <a href="https://twitter.com/discoveryplusIT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@discoveryplusIT</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BenettonRugby?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BenettonRugby</a> <a href="https://t.co/Adu83mIWU6">pic.twitter.com/Adu83mIWU6</a></p>— Benetton Rugby 🦁 (@BenettonRugby) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenettonRugby/status/1611333006098038790?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Last Time Out
Ulster have a healthy playing record against Benetton with their overall URC head to head record standing at 17 wins from 20 games. Benetton have won once previously against the Ulster men and have drawn two.
Ulster also have enjoyed success on Italian away trips as the province haven’t been beaten by an Italian opponent since a loss to Zebre Parma in September 2017.
The last encounter between the two sides was a 28-8 bonus point win at the Kingspan Stadium in October 2021.
Versatile scrum half Nathan Doak starred in a Player of the Match performance as he scored two tries and had four successful conversions.
Players to Watch
Federico Ruzza
Benetton’s front row lock is in fine form after a hat trick of tries in the team’s win against Zebre Parma. 28 years old and capped 36 times for Italy he is an experienced player who will look to disrupt Ulster’s attacks.
Ulster will need to be aware of his ability in lineouts as he showed against Zebre Parma by stealing and finishing off an attacking phase.
Tommaso Menoncello
With 3 tries from 4 starts in the URC this season, 20 year old centre/ winger Menoncello is being viewed as one of the most exciting prospects in Italian Rugby.
Former Benetton assistant coach and current Stade Français Defence Coach, Paul Gustard, called Menoncello one of top five young players he had ever coached in his career.
Already with six international caps to his name, he made history with a try against France in last year’s 2022 Six Nations by becoming the youngest try scorer in the history of the tournament.
BKT United Rugby Championship Table:
Benetton currently sit in 7th place with 29 points after 11 matches and Ulster are 3rd with 36 points after 10 matches played.