Zebre

History of Zebre Parma

Often referred to as 'the XV of the North-West', Zebre Parma primarily represents Emilia-Romagna, Liguria, Lombardy and Piedmont, as well as other clubs in the surrounding area. 

The Zebre rugby team was initially founded as an invitational team back in 1973. They only became a professional team in 2012, when they were invited to join the Pro12 (now the United Rugby Championship). It was hoped that adding Italian teams to the competition would help improve the Italian national team, who had struggled in the Six Nations Championship. The team officially became known as Zebre Parma before the start of the 2021-22 United Rugby Championship season. 

Ever since Zebre formed, they've struggled to establish themselves in the tournament. In their first three years of participation in the Pro12, they finished bottom of the league. In fact, in the five years they played in the competition, they only avoided finishing bottom of the league once. Even then, they finished 11th. A similar fate then followed the Zebre rugby team when the competition rebranded to the Pro14. Between 2018 and 2020, the side finished bottom of their conference on each occasion.

Sadly, it’s a similar story in the United Rugby Championship. In this 16-team competition, Zebre Parma have finished 16th or 15th every season since 2021-22. 

In the club's history, Zebre Parma have featured in the European Rugby Champions Cup three times. However, they're yet to qualify for the knockout rounds. They've also played in the European Rugby Challenge Cup 10 times and have only passed the pool stage three times. In 2025-26 they enjoyed their best tournament to date, when they reached the quarter-finals

Due to the fact that the Zebre rugby team features in elite competitions, they do attract top talent and a number of internationals play for the side, including Alessandro Fusco, Jacopo Trulla and Luca Morisi. 

Think the Zebre rugby team can turn their fortunes around? Follow the team’s progress with RugbyPass.