Zebre 42
Munster 33
ZEBRE HAVE BEATEN Munster for the first time in their history, the Italians shocking the province after a brilliant team performance at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.
The teams traded six tries in an open first-half, Munster scoring the first through Gavin Coombes before two quick-fire Zebre tries put the Italians in the driving seat, with Munster then scoring three tries between the 30th and 40th minute to lead by 13 at half-time.
Yet a disastrous second half saw Munster collapse, conceding 24 unanswered points as Zebre stormed back to claim a fully deserved bonus-point win.
After conceding five tries in beating Connacht last weekend, this was another hugely disappointing day for the Munster defence as they leaked six tries.
Munster topped the URC table last season as Zebre finished last, winning just one from 18, but under new head coach Massimo Brunello the home side were full value for the win, battling hard at the breakdown and showing a clinical edge in attack.
Across a poor start in Parma, Munster looked sluggish and were guilty of some poor errors.
The visitors were dealt an early blow in the Italian sunshine when Shane Daly was forced off after just seven minutes, the 27-year-old holding his arm after falling hard on the turf. Daly was making a rare start at centre and his exit saw Bryan Fitzgerald come in to make his Munster debut.
Fitzgerald, 25, signed a short-term contract with the province this summer after impressing in the AIL with Garryowen.
Amid a scrappy start, Giovanni Montemauri kicked Zebre into the lead with a penalty in the 12th minute, with Munster yet to properly settle into the game.
Munster were struggling to gain any foothold in the contest, with Graham Rowntree’s men guilty of conceding some sloppy penalties and wasting lineout opportunites.
However on 20 minutes they found a way through. With Zebre letting their penalty count rise, Munster worked their way through the phases before Gavin Coombes crossed from close range to mark his 100th Munster apperance with a try.
Tony Butler, starting in the Munster 10 jersey for just the fourth time, added the extras from the tee.
Yet their lead was short-lived. From the restart Zebre moved the ball quickly through the hands and playing with penalty advantage, they spun it wide for Jacopo Trulla to cross in the corner, with Montemauri dragging his conversion attempt wide.
Defensively, Munster were looking vulnerable and just four minutes after scoring their first try, Zebre had their second, Alessandro Fusco peeling off the ruck and stepping inside Oli Jager before touching the ball down despite Fitzgerald’s best efforts. Montemauri converted and with the 30-minute mark approaching, Zebre led 15-7.
Munster were getting some joy with their power game and another Coombes try saw them cut the gap, the backrower crossing from a pick-and-go before Butler’s conversion pulled Munster to within a point of their hosts, despite being well off the pace across the opening half hour.
This time, Munster generated some momentum from the score. On their next venture into the Zebre 22 Ruadhán Quinn went close, before Munster quickly recycled the ball to send Mike Haley over in the corner thanks to a superb bridge pass from Craig Casey. Butler’s conversion put Munster six points clear.
Shortly before the half-time break Munster had their fourth try as Fitzgerald dived over for a debut try after some nice work from Haley. Butler nailed a tough conversion from the sideline to leave his side 28-15 up at the break.
Within two minutes of the restart, another Munster error allowed Zebre run in their third try, Trulla snatching a looping Haley pass to run in from his own half. Montemauri couldn’t convert.
With their tails up, Zebre added the bonus-point score when Giovanni Licata muscled over following a strong carry from hooker Tommaso Di Bartolomeo. Montemauri’s conversion was good and Zebre cut the deficit to one.
Zebre were now full of energy and invention, and built on their lead with a wonderful solo score from Fusco. Sniping from a ruck, the scrum-half darted past Jeremey Loughman and Jean Kleyn to score, with Montemauri adding the conversion.
Minutes later, the Italians were through again – a brilliant turnover from Juan Pitinari triggering a move which saw Geronimo Prisciantelli dart over. Replacement out-half Giacomo Da Re couldn’t convert, but with just over 15 minutes to go, Munster were 39-28 down having failed to get a single point on the board in the second half.
Guarding their lead, Zebre continued to frustrate Munster with a brilliant defensive effort, making a series of big hits as the province struggled to get out of their own half, with Conor Murray playing at out-half after replacing Butler.
Murray was involved when Munster finally added their first points of the second half.
Entering the final five minutes, Haley made a brilliant break forward before Fitzgerald took a heavy blow in releasing a pass to Murray. The stand-in out-half played a neat pass wide to Shay McCarthy, who showed good pace to score, with Murray just off target with the extras.
Munster needed a converted try to win the game but in the 79th minute, a Zebre penalty robbed the visitors of a final chance to score. Giacomo Da Re split the posts with the final action of the game, sparking brilliant scenes as Zebre ignited their season with a famous win.
For Munster, the review will be a deeply difficult watch.
Zebre scorers:
Tries– Trulla [2], Fusco [2], Licate.
Penalty – Da Re [1/1]
Conversions – Montemauri [3/5]
Munster scorers:
Tries – Coombes [2], Haley, Fitzgerald, McCarthy
Conversions – Butler [4/4], Murray [0/1]
ZEBRE PARMA: Geronimo Prisciantelli; Jacopo Trulla, Giulio Bertaccini, Luca Morisi, Simone Gesi; Giovanni Montemauri (Giacomo Da Re, 62), Alessandro Fusco (Baronio Guana, 62); Danilo Fischetti (capt) (Luca Rizzoli, 58), Tommaso Di Bartolomeo ( Giampietro Ribaldi, 58), Matteo Nocera (Juan Pitinari, 42); Matteo Canali, Leonard Krumov (Andrea Zambonin, 60); Davide Ruggeri, Samuele Locatelli, Giovanni Licata (Giacomo Ferrari, 53).
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Shane Daly (Bryan Fitzgerald, 7), Tom Farrell, Thaakir Abrahams (Shay McCarthy, 26); Tony Butler (Conor Murray, 71), Craig Casey; Josh Wycherley (Jeremy Loughman, 48), Diarmuid Barron (capt) (Niall Scannell, 52), Oli Jager (John Ryan, 48); Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley (Jack Daly, 58-73); Ruadhán Quinn (Jack O’Donoghue, 52), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU)
