Ulster secured a bonus point win to start their URC campaign off with an ideal start, however Zebre tested them right till the very end in a 12 try slugfest in Parma.

Six tries reach, Ulster will leave happy to have taken a win. Zebre were on the brinking of ending their 25 match losing streak but Ulster hitting three second half tries was enough to turn the tide in their favour.

A credit to their defence coaches with how they held on in those dying minutes, Zebre camped shy of the line but despite having 14 men on the pitch in stoppage time, the ball was turned over and Dan McFarland will be happy to take a first win of the campaign, a game not for those with a weak heart.

The deadlock was broken after just five minutes, having had plenty of the early possession, Zebre had a lineout just outside the Ulster five metre line. After a little dummy, Guido Volpi claimed possession for the hosts and once the maul formed, David Sisi used his power to spearhead an attack to warrant an opening try with Giovanni Licata touching down. Geronimo Prisciantelli added the extras for an ideal start for Zebre. 

Following the restart Ulster started to get more ball in hand, with the hosts penalised, Nathan Doak kicked for touch instead of a shot at the points to reduce the margin, it would prove the correct decision. Winning the resulting lineout, Ulster attacked in waves but the Parma outfit were solid in defence, shy of the posts it looked like they had got over, Doak looked for Kieran Treadwell and his offload saw Jake Flannery cross.

Flannery notching a first try for Ulster since his move from the South of the country, Doak applied the finishing touches to level matters with 11 minutes on the clock. The game changed in the blink of an eye, end to end stuff at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi and we were not finished there.

Two minutes later again the Italian side were strong using their forwards, Licata the big number eight holding his ground to bulldoze over despite some intense pressure from Ulster to try to stop him. His second try of the contest, nine minutes after the first and Prisciantelli added the extras to make it seven points once again.

Celebrations again cut short however, Ulster getting back up the field spraying the ball out wide on the right wing, David McCann carried well offloading to the onrushing Michael Lowry to dot down, strange seeing the 14 on Lowry, but a familiar sight seeing him on the scoresheet. Doak levelled matters and after 17 minutes it was energy sapping to say the least.

Despite their rank as minnows in this competition over the years, when Zebre attacked it brought points in the early exchanges, that narrative continued with 23 minutes elapsed as Lorenzo Pani had his eyes light up with a narrow gap opening as he raced in for the third try. Argentine out-half Prisciantelli continued his exploits from the tee to add another full seven to the board.

Shy of the half hour mark that you score, we score nature of the game continued, Jacob Stockdale gathering on the left wing and finishing well to the corner, Doak had the difficult task of converting, having landed two earlier kicks, despite the degree of difficulty he made no error converting the third. 

Prisciantelli attempted to restore the lead off the tee as Ulster again were penalised at the breakdown, the kick missed the mark and for the first time Zebre failed to take points from an attack. Ulster pressed but another infringement saw Zebre win a maul penalty and the referee Adam Jones went to the book as Kieran Treadwell was to spend the next ten minutes on the naughty step.

With the last roll of the dice in the opening half, Zebre were shy of the line looking for their bonus point try, Prisciantelli spotted Scott Gregory in space out wide on the right flank, with a sweetly crafted cross field kick, the ball bounced favourably to remain in play beyond the Ulster try line and Gregory got the finishing touches to score. The conversion went wide but the hosts were ahead 26-21 at the break.

Two minutes after the restart and again the Ulster defence was breached, Simone Gesi powering his way over as Doak tried to offer a barrier to the try line but with enough movement in the legs the winger was over, the conversion tailed wide but for the first time in the contest, Zebre led by a double score margin.

Ulster needed a lifeline in this contest, either sound of the hour mark they would soon take the lead, Tom Stewart cut the gap to three getting over close to the posts, Doak converting before he played a role in spraying possession wide for Stockdale to cross for his second in the corner, 60 minutes into a contest where the Irish side were second best for large parts, they were finally in front 33-31.

Stewart was skippering this Ulster side at the age of 22, his age beyond years with how much leadership he brings, minutes after taking the lead he furthered that with his second try. Spuds and Gravy for Stewart coming off a lineout maul and with Doak notching a fifth conversion made it a nine point margin.

With how this game had transpired it was far from over, just as the clock ticked into the 70th minute, Gesi touched down in the left hand corner. Despite calling for a knock on in the build up, the try stood and the conversion did go wide. 12 tries in a blockbuster contest and Ulster held a narrow four point lead approaching the end of normal time.

With 18 months of pain spanning 25 matches, Zebre pushed on in the final five minutes, camped near the Ulster line following a knock on, scrum after punishing scrum they battled away at the Ulster rearguard, James French saw yellow as the Irish province were penalised for being too aggressive in trying to defend.  

Zebre opted for a tap penalty to try to score late and secure the win, driving at the line they were held short and the ball spilled out with Dave Shanahan graciously booting the ball into touch to secure the win for his side.