Ulster hold off Zebre at the death to secure nervy opening day URC win

Zebre 36 Ulster 40

Ulster overcame an almighty opening day scare in the United Rugby Championship to just about flop over the line in Parma, with the result in the balance right until the final play.

All told 12 tries were scored in this unexpectedly close encounter with Ulster only gaining the lead in the game during the second half, and then very nearly losing the contest as Zebre pummelled their line after winning a series of scrum penalties.

As it was, Ulster, whose defence was worryingly porous and scrum under frequent strain, escaped with five points. They also survived two yellow cards in addition to coming through some poor decision-making by Zebre at the death as they looked to take a first victory since 2022.

Ulster’s early indiscipline was punished after just five minutes when Zebre’s driving maul resulted in David Sisi’s score, was which excellently converted by Geronimo Prisciantelli.

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Ulster responded by putting their own penalty into the corner and instead of using their maul, moved the ball through a high number of phases with one-out runners until Jake Flannery pierced the creaking defensive line.

Nathan Doak converted to tie the scores, but this didn’t last as a scintillating break from Ben Cambriani left Ulster defenders in his wake and from the recycle skipper Giovanni Licata drove over.

Prisciantelli again converted to put Zebre 14-7 ahead. The home team’s lead was short-lived and after a line bust from Kieran Treadwell, Michael Lowry stepped through to score with Doak’s extras tying things up again.

The pattern continued six minutes later when another Zebre attack was met with some passive tackling and Lorenzo Pani snared their third try, which turned into seven points from Prisciantelli’s conversion.

It was hardly surprising that Ulster then managed to draw level. Breaking down the narrow side from a lineout, they moved it to the open side and then back left with Flannery’s over the top pass giving Jacob Stockdale the touchdown in the corner.

Doak bisected the posts and the scoreline now stood at 21-21 and stayed that way when Prisciantelli was wide with a penalty shot on 31 minutes. Ulster were then reduced to 14 for 10 minutes when Treadwell was shown yellow.

Then with the clock in red, Zebre secured a turnover when held short and losing possession which resulted in Prisciantelli launching a cross-kick and replacement Scott Gregory got to the ball before it rolled dead.

Prisciantelli failed to add two more points to Zebre’s bonus-point score and an eventful half ended with the home side leading 26-21.

The Italians then stretched their lead in the first minute of the second half when they carved Ulster’s vulnerable looking defence apart for Simone Gesi to find his way over, though again there was no conversion.

Ulster had to fight back and on 52 minutes hooker Tom Stewart surged over from close range and Ulster had their bonus point, and with Doak’s conversion the comeback was on as Zebre now led 31-28.

They took the lead for the first time on the hour when Stockdale claimed his second and though Doak missed the conversion he nailed the next one when Stewart claimed his brace when breaking off a maul.

But even when 40-31 ahead Ulster weren’t yet in the clear and a series of errors allowed Zebre back in, Gesi’s converted try making it a four-point game.

With the clock in the red, Zebre piled on the pressure near Ulster’s line and won a series of scrum penalties – resulting in James French’s yellow card – but the Italians opted for a tap and go and lost the ball allowing Ulster to send it dead.

SCORERS – Zebre Tries: Gesi 2, Sisi, Licata, Pani, Gregory; Cons: Prisciantelli 3. Ulster Tries: Stockdale 2, Stewart 2, Flannery, Lowry; Cons: Doak 5.

ZEBRE: L Pani; B Cambriani, F Paea, E Lucchin, S Gesi; G Prisciantelli, G Garcia; P Buonfiglio, L Bigi, J Pitinari; D Sisi, A Zambonin; G Volpi, G Ferrari, G Licata (Capt).

Replacements: S Gregory for Cambriani (14 mins); G Ribaldi for Bigi (52); A Fusco for Garcia (55); M Hasa for Buonfiglio (56); B Stavile for Ferrari (62); R Genovese for Pitinari (65), M Canali for Sisi (68); T Dominguez for Prisciantelli {79).

Yellow cards: Treadwell 34 mins, J French 80 mins.

ULSTER: W Addison; M Lowry, J Hume, A Curtis, J Stockdale; J Flannery, N Doak; A Warwick, T Stewart (capt), G McGrath; Matty Rea, K Treadwell; D Ewers, Marcus Rea, D McCann.

Replacements: S Moore for Hume (3-5mins) & for Curtis (40); C Reid for Warwick, C Izuchukwu for Matty Rea, N Timoney for Marcus Rea, J French for McGrath (all 49); B Burns for Flannery (55); J Andrew for Stewart, D Shanahan for Doak (both 76); McGrath for French (81).

Yellow cards: Treadwell (34 mins), J French (80).

Referee: A Jones (Wales).