Ulster Rugby opened their European Challenge Cup campaign in emphatic fashion on Friday, securing a 40-21 bonus-point victory against Zebre at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma. The win marks a strong start to their continental season.
Richie Murphy’s side dominated the first half, establishing a commanding 19-0 lead before the interval. The visitors ultimately crossed for six tries, ensuring they returned to Belfast with maximum points from their opening fixture in Italy.
Academy graduate Henry Walker was the standout performer for the visitors. Making his first competitive start for the province, the front-rower marked the occasion by scoring two of Ulster’s six tries and showing great promise in the pack.
The match began with a period of intense defensive pressure from Ulster, who were forced to repel an early Zebre attack following a line-out. Once the visitors settled, they quickly found their rhythm and controlled the tempo.
Walker opened the scoring in the first ten minutes, crossing for his first senior try. Although a subsequent effort from Nathan Doak was disallowed due to a knock-on, the momentum remained firmly with the visitors throughout the half.
Jacob Stockdale extended the lead shortly after, finishing a slick team move in the corner. By the half-hour mark, Walker had dived over for his second try, putting Ulster in a commanding position with a 19-0 advantage.
Zebre, coached by Massimo Brunello, struggled to break down the Ulster defence during the opening period. The hosts were restricted to half-chances as the visitors maintained their defensive discipline until the half-time whistle blew in Parma.
The Italian side responded with greater intent after the break. Giovanni Licata scored their first try from a short-side move following a scrum, with Giacomo da Re adding the conversion to narrow the deficit to 19-7.
Ulster captain David McCann, leading the side for the first time, quickly restored the 19-point cushion by crossing for a try of his own just four minutes after the hosts had opened their account in the second.
The contest remained competitive, though Ulster faced a setback with 15 minutes remaining when replacement Jack Murphy was shown a yellow card. This left the visitors briefly shorthanded as Zebre sought to claw their way back.
Zebre capitalised on their numerical advantage almost immediately, with Alessandro Ortombina scoring their second try. However, Ulster responded through Mike Lowry, who finished a patient, well-constructed attacking move after being found on the left wing.
The hosts continued to fight, and full-back Giovanni Montemauri crossed for a third try. This score temporarily threatened to deny Ulster their hard-earned bonus point by pushing the margin back into a tighter range.
Martin Moloney, who had entered the field as a replacement for McCann, ensured the result was never in doubt. He scored Ulster's sixth try in the final minutes to restore the crucial three-try buffer and seal maximum points.
The victory provides a positive start for Ulster in the European Challenge Cup. The competition will now pause until December, allowing the team to refocus on their domestic commitments and league standing in the United Rugby Championship.
Ulster’s focus now shifts to the United Rugby Championship, where they face a challenging run of three consecutive away matches. This includes a demanding South African tour against the Bulls and the Stormers in the coming weeks.
The match highlighted the depth within the Ulster squad, particularly with the successful integration of academy players like Walker. The performance will provide confidence ahead of their upcoming high-stakes fixtures in the domestic league competition.
Zebre, currently sitting at the bottom of the URC table, will look to regroup following this defeat. Despite the loss, their second-half showing provided some encouragement for the remainder of their European campaign against tougher opposition.
The final scoreline of 40-21 reflected Ulster's clinical finishing, particularly in the first half. Their ability to secure a bonus point away from home is a significant result in the context of the pool stage standings.
Richie Murphy will be pleased with the character shown by his side, especially after being reduced to 14 men in the closing stages. The response to Zebre’s late pressure was decisive, ensuring the bonus point remained intact.
With the European window now closed for the next few weeks, Ulster will look to carry this momentum into their upcoming league games. They aim to climb the URC standings as they prepare for their South African trip.
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