Edinburgh snatch late draw away to Zebre

Boan Venter scored two tries for Edinburgh in Parma

United Rugby Championship

Zebre (12) 25

Tries: Fusco 2, Trulla Cons: Da Re 2 Pens: Montemauri 2

Edinburgh (6) 25

Tries: Venter 2, Currie Cons: Thomson, Scott Pens: Thomson 2

Cammy Scott nailed a difficult conversion with the last kick of the game to earn Edinburgh a draw away to Zebre, which does little for their chances of reaching the United Rugby Championship play-offs.

A thrilling burst from Darcy Graham set up Matt Currie for an 82nd-minute score in the corner, and replacement fly-half Scott curled over a wonderful kick from the touchline to level the match at 25-25.

It nudges Edinburgh up to ninth in the table but they have now played one more game than the three sides below them, all within four points.

Zebre, who won in the Scottish capital earlier this season, were down to 14 following a yellow card for fly-half Giacomo Da Re when Ross Thomson slotted over the opening penalty.

Scrum-half Alessandro Fusco hit back for the depleted hosts, feigning to pass then ducking in to score.

Thomson knocked over another penalty soon after, but the lively Fusco also struck again squirting away from a driving maul for his second try.

Early in the second half, Zebra stretched the visitors with some snappy passing, allowing full-back Jacopo Trulla to dot down.

Edinburgh had been looking rather sluggish before prop Boan Venter bulldozed his way through two attempted tackles to reduce the deficit, with Thomson missing a straightforward conversion.

Venter again demonstrated his raw power to create space where there had been none before stretching for the line. This time, Thomson added the extras to make it a one-point game.

The visitors' momentum was then halted by a yellow card for Ben Muncaster, with two penalties from Giovanni Montemauri setting Zebre on course for a double over Edinburgh before the late intervention from Currie and Scott, leaving both sides feeling deflated at the final whistle.

Line-ups

Zebre: Trulla, Gregory, Paea, Mazza, Gesi, Da Re, Fusco; Fischetti, Di Bartolomeo, Hasa, Canali, Krumov, Ferrari, Stavile, Licata.

Replacements: Bigi, Buonfiglio, Pitinari, Zambonin, Nasove, Garcia, Montemauri, Morisi.

Edinburgh: Paterson, Graham, Currie, Lang, Brown, Thompson, Price; Venter, Harrison, Rae, Young, Skinner, Muncaster, Watson, Bradbury.

Replacements: Morris, Hislop, Williams, Gilchrist, Douglas, Shiel, Scott, Tuipulotu.