Zebre end four-year wait for away URC win at Ulster

Ulster (0) 14

Tries: Barrett 2 Con: Doak 2

Zebre Parma (3) 15

Tries: Staville, Da Re Con: Montemauri Pen: Montemauri

Zebre ended a four-year wait without a win on the road in the United Rugby Championship as the Italian side defeated Ulster 15-14 at Kingspan Stadium.

In a error-strewn first half, not helped by the soaking and blustery conditions in Belfast, the Italians led 3-0 at the break through Giovanni Montemauri's penalty.

Bautista Staville and Giocomo Da Re stunned Ulster with quickfire tries at the start of the second half.

Ulster responded as replacement prop Corrie Barrett burrowed his way over the line with 23 minutes remaining, but Richie Murphy's side could not kick on.

Barrett drove over the line for his second try of the game with five minutes to play to move Ulster to within a point of Zebre, but the Italians held on to secure a famous victory.

Zebre were deserving of their win, which was their third over Ulster after 2014 and 2017 victories in Parma, and their first on the road in the URC in 36 matches.

Missed chance for Ulster to climb table

Ulster had the opportunity to move into the top eight with victory in Belfast but, as the wind and rain swirled around Ravenhill, the first half was low in quality as errors limited any scoring.

Murphy's side headed into the game off the back of a morale-boosting win over Exeter in Europe, and they had the best chance to breach the whitewash after John Cooney, on his 150th appearance, made a break and that allowed the home forwards to chip away at the line.

However, the Zebre defence held firm and the Italians cleared after the ball popped out of the ruck.

Zac Ward was the next to spot a gap in the Zebre defence from inside his own 22 and he popped the ball back inside to Cooney, who elected to kick through rather than play in Ben Carson who was sprinting up in support.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 29th minute when Montemauri landed a penalty, but that was the only time the scoreboard moved in the half.

Ulster were given an advantage when Staville was sent to the bin for an early tackle on Eric O'Sullivan, but Tom Stewart was bundled into touch from the line out from the resulting penalty.

Nick Timoney, who had been one of the standout performers in the first half, also knocked the ball on just as the hosts created an overlap, and Ulster had to hold firm at the other end as Zebre exerted pressure in the final play of the half.

Zebre deserved victors

After some growing pressure at the start of the second half, Zebre were rewarded for their pressure when Staville crossed in the corner.

Things went from bad to worse when full-back Da Re spotted a gap in the Ulster defence to score a second try in three minutes. Montemauri converted to extend Zebre's lead.

But Ulster responded well and began chipping away at the Italian line. After a second penalty advantage, Ulster finally crossed when replacement prop Barrett managed to drive over from close range. Nathan Doak added the conversion.

Zebre came back at Ulster, who could not kick on from Barrett's try as the error count continued to rise, despite the rain finally relenting in Belfast.

Mountmauri sent a penalty wide as the visitors missed the chance to move 11 points clear of Ulster, and Doak sent a kickable penalty wide as Ulster looked to close in on Zebre.

Barrett set up a grandstand finish with his second try of the game but, despite a late charge from Ulster, Zebre won a penalty with a clock in the red to secure a famous win and end their 36-game run without an away win in the URC.

Zebre remain 15th in the table despite collecting their third win of the season, while Ulster stay 11th after a sixth defeat in 10 URC matches.

Line-ups

Ulster: S Moore; M Lowry, B Carson, J Postlethwaite, Z Ward; J Murphy, J Cooney; E O'Sullivan, T Stewart, S Wilson; K Treadwell, H Sheridan; L McLoughlin, N Timoney (capt), D McCann.

Replacements: C Reid, J Andrew, C Barrett, A O'Connor, Matty Rea, N Doak, J Flannery, R Lyttle.

Zebre Parma: G Da Re; A Gesi; F Paea, D Mazza; S Gregory; G Montemauri, G Garcia; P Bunonfiglo, L Bigi (capt), M Hasa; M Canali, L Krumov; R Nasove, B Staville, G Licata.

Replacements: G Quattrini, L Franceschetto, J Pitinari, G Ferrari, L Andreani, T Dominguz, L Morisi, S Brisigella.