Edinburgh upset by Zebre to dent play-off hopes

Mosese Tuipulotu scored his first URC try for Edinburgh

United Rugby Championship

Edinburgh (5) 17

Tries: McCann, Tuipulotu, Crosbie Cons: Thompson

Zebre (12) 22

Tries: Trulla, Garcia, Di Bartolomeo Cons: Da Re 2 Pen: Da Re

Edinburgh lost to second-bottom side Zebre at home for the first time since 2016 in a result that hugely damages the hosts' United Rugby Championship play-off hopes.

That was despite Zebre playing most of the final 10 minutes - in which there was just five points between the sides - with 13 men after the Italians had one man sin-binned and another sent off.

Zebre shocked Ulster in Belfast in January, when they recorded their first away win in four years - and, with the win over Edinburgh, they made it two from two on the road.

The upset started early when Geronimo Prisciantelli put Jacopo Trulla away on the left, with the Italian international sprinting to touch down after six minutes.

Ross McCann got Edinburgh level when it looked like the returning Emiliano Boffelli had hesitated too long with his pass, but the winger skipped back inside and boshed off a few defenders to score.

Zebre did not let up and crossed the line again as scrum-half Gonzalo Garcia sniped from the base of a ruck to dive over.

The visitors rightfully led at half-time and went further ahead when Giacomo Da Re knocked a penalty over to give Zebre a 10-point lead.

Edinburgh are known for being stronger in the second-half and they gave themselves hope when Ali Price zipped the ball to Mosese Tuipulotu and he crashed over for his first league score.

With the conversion added, it became a three-point game, but Zebre responded brilliantly and replacement Tommaso di Bartolomeo gladly fell over the line from the back of a rumbling maul.

Edinburgh put the pressure on, with Prisciantelli seeing yellow before Luke Crosbie crashed over from short range.

Guido Volpi was then sent off for a high shot on the Edinburgh captain and it seemed Sean Everitt's side would make their numbers count.

However, an unbelievable defensive effort from Zebre kept the hosts out and they held on for one of the most famous victories in their history.

Edinburgh: Goosen, Boffelli, Currie, Tuipulotu, McCann; Thompson, Price; Venter, Harrison, Rae, Sykes, Young, Crosbie, Watson, Currie.

Replacements: Morris, Hislop, Hill, Skinner, McConnell, Vellacott, Healy, Lang.

Zebre: Prisciantelli, Trulla, Paea, Mazza, Gregory; Da Re, Garcia; Buonfiglio, Bigi, Hasa, Canali, Krumov, Andreani, Stavile, Licata.

Replacements: Di Bartolomeo, Rizzoli, Pitinari, Volpi, Ferrari, Fusco, Montemauri, Morisi.