Munster suffered their first-ever defeat to Zebre following a disappointing 42-33 URC loss in Parma.
The Irish side looked in control at the break as they led by 13 points after a brace of tries from Gavin Coombes, Mike Haley and one on debut for Bryan Fitzgerald.
Tony Butler was four from four on conversions to give them a 28-15 advantage with Jacopo Trulla and Alessandro Fusco crossing the line for the hosts, who had lost their last 14 games.
Full-time: Zebre 42-33 Munster
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 28, 2024
Geronimo Prisciantelli touched down the hosts' sixth try, which was enough to secure a first ever win over the Irish province. A super fightback from 13 points down at half-time
📺 Reaction on @RTE2 and @RTEPlayer #URC pic.twitter.com/V0Lje4Yn9D
Zebre though were a different animal after the break as they hit 24 points without reply to take control.
Shay McCarthy gave Munster hope with a try, but the Italians held on for a famous win.
After Giovanni Montemauri had put the hosts ahead with a routine penalty in the 12th minute, missing one to the right minutes later, Munster got their first points on the board.
Craig Casey's kick upfield took a kind bounce with the hosts conceding a pair of penalties from the resulting line-out. Munster were camped on their line now though, and after a few attacks were repelled, they worked the ball right and Coombes had the simple task of picking the ball up and falling over the line.
Trulla pulled out an extravagant celebration after going over in the corner and it got better for Zebre 27 minutes in as Fusco dummied Oli Jager and spiralled over despite the best efforts of Fitzgerald.
Munster found themselves 15-7 down at this stage, but Zebre knocked on from the restart and again Munster worked it left to right with Coombes crossing over from a yard out for the second time in the half.
The third try 34 minutes in owed everything to a brilliant Ruadhán Quinn charge right down the middle with Haley have an easy finish after Casey’s looping pass right into space, and Fitzgerald stretched the lead with a finish in the corner after quick hands from Haley.
All was going to plan for Graham Rowntree’s side, but Zebre hit a quartet of tries between the 41st and 63rd minutes to leave Munster shellshocked – the first of those seeing Haley punished for a misplaced pass as Trulla intercepted and ran the length of the pitch.
Giovanni Licata was next to go over in a move started by Danilo Fischetti charging through a sea of red jerseys before being pulled down.
Fusco got his second in the 59th minute after another superb dummy – Coombes the victim this time – and it was panic stations when Geronimo Prisciantelli crossed after more good work from Trulla.
McCarthy’s 76th minute try brought Munster back to within a converted try, but the final say went to Giacomo Da Re who kicked a penalty to deny Munster a bonus point and seal a famous win in Parma for the Italians.
Zebre Parma: Geronimo Prisciantelli; Jacopo Trulla, Giulio Bertaccini, Luca Morisi, Simone Gesi; Giovanni Montemauri, Alessandro Fusco; Danilo Fischetti (capt), Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Matteo Nocera; Matteo Canali, Leonard Krumov; Davide Ruggeri, Samuele Locatelli, Giovanni Licata.
Replacements: Giampietro Ribaldi, Luca Rizzoli, Juan Pitinari, Andrea Zambonin, Giacomo Ferrari, Patricio Baronio, Scott Gregory, Giacomo Da Re.
Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Shane Daly, Tom Farrell, Thaakir Abrahams; Tony Butler, Craig Casey; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron (capt), Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Ruadhán Quinn, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Jack Daly, Jack O'Donoghue, Conor Murray, Bryan Fitzgerald, Shay McCarthy.
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU)
"You don't want to take away that Zebre were full quality for it but it was totally unacceptable from Munster. They should be embarrassed by that performance" - Donnacha O'Callaghan was shocked by Munster's sloppiness as they suffered a first ever defeat to the Italian side #URC pic.twitter.com/9smRTN4uDM
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 28, 2024
