Zebre Rugby achieved a remarkable feat by securing their first-ever victory over Munster in a thrilling URC match at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, finishing the game with a score of 42-33. This victory marks a significant turnaround for the Italian side, who had been on a 14-match losing streak and had never won against Munster in their previous 20 encounters.
The match began with Munster taking a commanding lead, scoring two tries from Gavin Coombes and additional tries from Mike Haley and Bryan Fitzgerald, establishing a 13-point advantage at halftime. However, the second half saw a dramatic shift in momentum as Zebre rallied to score 24 unanswered points.
Key contributions from Jacopo Trulla and Alessandro Fusco, who both added tries to their first-half efforts, along with further scores from Giovanni Licata and Geronimo Prisciantelli, propelled Zebre ahead. Despite Munster's attempt to mount a comeback with Shay McCarthy's try, they were unable to secure a losing bonus point, marking a historic day for Zebre Rugby.
In other news, South Africa's Eben Etzebeth celebrated becoming the nation's most-capped player following a victory over Argentina that clinched the Rugby Championship title. Etzebeth emphasized the importance of team performance and expressed his desire to continue contributing to both his club and national side.