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United Rugby Championship

Zebre remain unbeaten in URC after pipping Lions in Parma thriller

By PA
A URC flag flies (Photo By Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

A converted try from Matteo Nocera handed Zebre a nail-biting 22-20 win over Lions in the dying seconds of a URC thriller in Parma.

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The South African side battled back from 12-3 down at half-time to take a 20-15 lead deep in the second half, only for the hosts to land a stunning blow as Nocera forced his way over in the 79th minute.

With scores tied, substitute Martin Roger Farias slotted the conversion nervelessly to seal a second win in as many games for the Italian team.

Zebre went in front through Staville’s 14th-minute touchdown and crossed again when Tommaso Di Bartolomeo finished off a powerful rolling maul, Giacomo converting the second after missing with his first shot at goal.

Samuele Locatelli’s yellow card brought the Lions back in and they scored twice in five minutes through SJ Kotze and Eduan Keyter. Chris Smith failed to add the extras on both occasions but it was still enough for a 12-13 turnaround.

A Farias penalty flipped the lead again but Morne Brandon’s well-worked try and a successful kick from Lubabalo Dobela nudged the visitors back in front, only for Zebre to come again as Nocera crashed through, leaving Farias to complete a stirring finish.

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Comments on RugbyPass

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Tom 4 minutes ago
Change at the top is only answer for England – Andy Goode

Would be awesome to get Lancaster back but I think to get the best out of him given the baggage it would be best not to give him the top job. Bring him in as head coach (Wigglesworth’s job) and get Farrell, Van Graan, O’Gara or John Mitchell for the director role.

37 Go to comments
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Tom 8 minutes ago
England could force Ireland to break the bank if they go hard after Andy Farrell

If the RFU have any sense they will throw everything they've got at him… but I hope there is a semblance of wanting to come back to England for unfinished business and pride not just for the cash. If he comes reluctantly because the RFU write him a blank cheque will it still be the same Farrell who's motivating Ireland right now who arrives in England?

2 Go to comments
E
Ed the Duck 13 minutes ago
England could force Ireland to break the bank if they go hard after Andy Farrell

“Thankfully, South Africa have settled on Rassie Erasmus until the 2031 World Cup. The Springboks plus Farrell would be game over for all other nations.”

Don’t you realise that’s possibly already the case?



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BE 15 minutes ago
'I just don’t get it': The Irish pundits' reaction to latest Scotland flop

Agreed, the teams that played attacking confident rugby and kept scoreboard pressure on won. Think Russel is the best flyhalf in world rugby at the moment (Jalibert, Sacha, Pollard all play behind much more dominant pack), and Scottish center pairing really stood up. One thing is for sure any of the top six/seven teams can beat any of the other teams on any given day. From first game of Six Nations all teams involved improved dramatically and all adopted a more attacking mindset. I’m an SA fan but I’m wondering if we’re not going to get flat footed in first couple of games (as maybe NZ, ARg and Aus will as well).

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J
JoBe 16 minutes ago
Change at the top is only answer for England – Andy Goode

I'll take the job for a fraction of what they are paying SB and install a coaching set up that would make England very difficult to beat.

37 Go to comments
J
JoBe 20 minutes ago
Change at the top is only answer for England – Andy Goode

I've said it before on this forum, 2027 is probably a write off whoever is head coach. If, and it is a big if, the RFU decide to change coach it has to be for a five year lead up to the 2031 WC. Forget a ‘big name’ and look at the likes of Baxter, Dowson, Van Graan or Stuart Lancaster (if he can be persuaded). There are home grown visionaries who, with the right supporting coaches have the potential to set England up to achieve.

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Tom 22 minutes ago
Why England may be in better shape to win the 2027 Rugby World Cup than France

Some really interesting stats about work rate post-Lions. Gives cause for quiet optimism. Spencer's best game for England by far. First time he's actually looked the part. JVP utterly killed all our momentum when he came on which is a role usually saved for Spencer and in days gone by - Wigglesworth.

Only issue - and it's a big one - we've been here a few times before regarding not kicking the ball down the f**king pitch. This isn't the first time after a humiliating defeat Borthwick has “rolled the dice” (been forced out of his comfort zone). Most notably we had a player revolt a couple of years ago following defeat to Scotland, we then turned over Ireland and lost narrowly á Paris. I rubbed my hands together knowing that Borthwick had seen the error of his ways but sure enough come the summer all was forgotten and the box kick re-emerged.



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Ed the Duck 31 minutes ago
'Absolute madness': Ireland fans are particularly furious at Henry Pollock

Disappointing eric, thought you were better than that? You like to position yourself as the voice of rugby reason in your analysis, an even handed view of the game and the incidents that unfold within it. This is not that!

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Tom 1 hour ago
Mick Cleary: 'Borthwick’s men must commit themselves to a wholly different way of playing.'

We've been here before though. It COULD be the making of England but several times we've had false dawns under Borthwick where the players have wrestled free of his restrictive systems and played excellent rugby only to be brought back into line by the time the next series starts. At this stage I don't have any faith left.

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Tom 1 hour ago
Change at the top is only answer for England – Andy Goode

We aren't miles ahead of any other nation in terms of talent at all. I agree Borthwick is a mediocre coach but let's not get carried away. France have won the u20 world cup three out of the last five times and just beat us in both the u20 and u18 six nations… and I don't think many people would claim we've got more talent than SA or the ABs either. Ibitoye isn't someone you want in a test match, he's so unpredictable. In a tight test match there are very few scoring opportunities for wingers but there are lots of opportunities for wingers to make defensive misreads and balls things up. In a tightly contested, low scoring game, you'd much rather have someone like Feyi Wabosi who has X factor but can be relied upon to defend properly or not have a brain farts, we've got other good wingers without needing Ibitoye.

I agree in general with your sentiment but we should be realistic. We've won the u20 WC once in the last decade, won the six nations only twice. A prem club hasn't won anything in Europe since Bristol won the challenge cup when they had Piutau, Radradra. There is talent out there for sure but our clubs and u20s aren't enjoying the level of success which could support statements about us having the most talent in the world. If a new coach comes in they aren't going to wave a magic wand and make us the best team in the world. There are a lot of structural problems and engrained attitudes which need to be overcome within the RFU and Prem etc. Plus any new coach is going to have to undo the damage Borthwick and Wigglesworth have done. They're going to have their work cut out for them.



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Eric Elwood 1 hour ago
Mick Cleary: 'Borthwick’s men must commit themselves to a wholly different way of playing.'

England and all countries actually learned from the collective over the tournament. I thought England, Ireland and Scotland had caught up with France by the end.

This tournament could potentially be the making of England. Eliminate the errors against France and we might actually discovere that SA have peaked a little early.



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Eric Elwood 1 hour ago
'I just don’t get it': The Irish pundits' reaction to latest Scotland flop

I reckoned this might effect Scotland and was impressed with how they turned up but agreed there was an element of what you say. I also believe that although Scotland lost this wasn’t the same old story. If Ireland at any time tried to settle, run the clock down they would have lost. Scotland needed scoreboard pressure, even a few more minutes within a try achieves scoreboard pressure. They never got that.

They have caught up clearly. I am looking forward to Scotland down south in July. Argentina, South Africa and Fiji. 2/3 minimum there could see Scotland securing a first win v NZ in November as the key to making the Nations Champs final.



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Siya Kolisi 1 hour ago
Ireland report card: Rating all 35 players used in the Six Nations

4.5 is crazy

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Eric Elwood 1 hour ago
'Absolute madness': Ireland fans are particularly furious at Henry Pollock

Thank you Monsieur Canard! The fact is that the ruck has been tightened on and Ireland have adapted. It’s not their fault if they are good at it!!

215 Go to comments
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Eric Elwood 1 hour ago
Ireland report card: Rating all 35 players used in the Six Nations

Bernard Jackman told the story of why Darragh Murray was kept in the extended squad. Apparently the youngster is a real lineout guru. But his superpower is calling lineouts and also predicting opponents lineouts. He is a defensive lineout animal, immense at stealing. And get this: so good was he that they kept him on, his job was to manage, construct and call opposition training lineouts before each match. So he would set up a lineout as Italy would etc. This youngster is already a coaching liutenant to O’Connell. This is pretty big for the Irish lineout even if he doesnt always play. His try against Scotland was beautiful too. There was space to the right of the goal line defender as Murray saw it. But he didn’t run for the space. He ran directly at the defender as if the space was covered. When the defender did not show signs of awareness of the space Murray darted right and over at last second. Defender completely missed him.

The exciting thing about Ireland: we have been talking about a Golden generation about to end for two decades. But its more nurture than nature. If we keep looking after the system then the golden goose will keep laying.



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Rob 1 hour ago
Ireland report card: Rating all 35 players used in the Six Nations

You forgot Tom Stewart

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Eric Elwood 2 hours ago
Ireland report card: Rating all 35 players used in the Six Nations

Cian was a 7. Great lineout option and a lot of hard work around the park.

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unknown 2 hours ago
Change at the top is only answer for England – Andy Goode

Wigglesworth can do very little on the evidence of the output and better more qualified coaches are operating in the Prem. He and El-Abd only got their roles because they’re Borthwick’s mates not because they were the best person for the job

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u
unknown 2 hours ago
Change at the top is only answer for England – Andy Goode

It’s only really a disaster if you feel the incumbent has the ability to win the World Cup and I don’t think anyone truly believes Borthwick can deliver that when he can’t even get close in the 6N. We may need to accept the World Cup is a stretch and focus on getting back to being competitive in the 6N as a first target. I get many coaches are tied down for four year cycles at international level but a lot of top coaches are operating in the club game and would likely relish the chance of an opportunity at international level

37 Go to comments
S
SB 2 hours ago
'Fear': The major Fabien Galthie caveat as France reclaim Six Nations

Absolutely. I know nothing about scrums so I won’t pretend that I do. But if the staff had an answer then they would’ve figured it out already. Aldegheri is just a scapegoat because they see him giving away the penalty but the rest of the pack is also important.

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