Ulster claimed their third consecutive GUINNESS PRO12 bonus point win in Parma, putting six tries past bottom-placed Zebre who made the province work hard for every score.
Bagging two tries through Chris Henry and Ruan Pienaar in the first 15 minutes, the Ulstermen threatened to run away with the match early on, but a spirited Zebre second quarter comeback brought the Italians to within four points before second half tries from Stuart Olding, Jacob Stockdale, Robbie Diack and debutant David Busby put the visitors out of sight.
Les Kiss’ charges remain in fifth place in the PRO12 table on 48 points, five adrift of the fourth-placed Scarlets but with a game in hand – the rearranged fixture against today’s opponents at Kingspan Stadium in two weeks’ time.
Heavy rotation within the Ulster squad brought nine changes from last week’s victory over Glasgow Warriors, with openside flanker Henry and number 8 Sean Reidy the only two forwards retaining their places.
An all-new front five of props Andrew Warwick and Wiehahn Herbst, hooker and captain Rob Herring, and the second row partnership of Diack and Alan O’Connor, lined up ahead of Clive Ross, Henry and Reidy at the base of the scrum. Marcell Coetzee was a late withdrawal through illness.
Stockdale, the scorer of two tries as replacement winger against Glasgow, started at full-back with Tommy Bowe – running out for his 150th Ulster cap – and Charles Piutau on the wings, while Olding replaced Darren Cave in midfield alongside Luke Marshall. The half-back pairing of Peter Nelson and Pienaar, enjoying a 100% win record together to date, started together for the third match in a row.
A welcome addition to the bench was Jared Payne, out since November due to a kidney injury sustained on Ireland duty. He was joined by Academy prospect Busby who was hoping to earn his first cap.
Under fine Parmesan sunshine Ulster took five minutes to click into gear, a cohesive rolling maul getting Ireland international Henry over the line with Pienaar adding the extras from out wide.
With their squad severely depleted with more than half a team absent due to the Six Nations, Zebre were overwhelmed again 10 minutes later when a neat offload from Bowe to Piutau on halfway set the Kiwi on his way down the left wing. He eventually cut inside and pick out Pienaar for a clear run to the line.
Italian scrum half Guglielmo Palazzani nipped over for a surprise score on 17 minutes later thanks to some strong scrummaging from the hosts, and only a last-minute interception from Stockdale prevented Matteo Pratichetti from adding to the hosts’ tally as Ulster struggled to reestablish their dominance on the game.
Yet more Zebre pressure as the first half wore on kept Ulster pinned back in their own half for most of the second quarter, and with the penalty count ramping up, a successful place-kick from Palazzani brought his side to within four points – 14-10.
The concession spurred Ulster back into life, Piutau again threatening down the left before being unceremoniously dumped into touch by his opposite number Lloyd Greeff, and although a severe overthrow at the lineout put the Italians straight back into danger, stout defence kept the score static until half-time.
Buoyed by self belief after their impressive second quarter performance, Zebre started the second period much in the same vein, with the visitors frustrated by multiple knock-ons when they did get their hands on the ball.
The tide turned on 45 minutes, however, as centre Olding’s upper body strength carried him through two tackles from Bowe’s pass off the back of a scrum for the third try.
The bonus point score came five minutes later, Stockdale touching down after Pienaar had fished the ball out of a maul, but the Italians, undeterred, capitalised on a missed tackle from Marshall just before the hour to ground their second try, Mattia Bellini the grateful recipient after Tommaso Castello’s break.
With Payne back in action for the final quarter, Ulster pressed on in the quest for further scores, Diack touching down in the corner on 70 minutes after a patient Ulster build-up and killer footwork from Piutau to eliminate the Italians’ last two defenders.
Busby entered the fray for the final five minutes, just enough time to make his mark with a well-taken try, as the youngster alertly tracked Payne’s grubber kick and anticipated the bounce better than three defenders to touch down in the corner.
Next up for Ulster before the return match against Zebre are Benetton Treviso in Belfast next Friday night, another encounter where a bonuspoint victory will be required to keep the heat on the top four.
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