Cardiff claim opening bonus-point win over Zebre

Cardiff centre Ben Thomas made his Wales debut in 2021

United Rugby Championship: Cardiff v Zebre

Cardiff (17) 22

Tries: Winnett, Stephens, Thomas, McNally Cons: Sheedy

Zebre (3) 17

Tries: Bertaccini, Locatelli Cons: Da Re 2 Pens: Montemauri

Cardiff secured an unconvincing bonus-point win in the opening United Rugby Championship (URC) game against perennial bottom side Zebre.

Full-back Cameron Winnett crossed for the opening try before scores from new players Iwan Stephens, Dan Thomas and Josh McNally.

New fly-half Callum Sheedy helped create the opening two tries after linking up well with centres Ben Thomas and Rey Lee-Lo.

Cardiff led 22-3 before fading badly and allowing Zebre back into the game with tries from Giulio Bertaccini and Samuele Locatelli giving the Italian side a losing bonus point.

Wales half-backs Sheedy and Aled Davies were joined by fellow new boys Stephens, Thomas, Danny Southworth and McNally in the starting side.

Wales' summer tourists Mason Grady, Winnett and James Botham started alongside Test fly-half Ben Thomas who was selected at centre, but Josh Adams, Ellis Bevan, Thomas Young and Seb Davies are injured.

The Italians, led by new head coach Massimo Brunello who helped revive Italy Under-20s, included former Wales Sevens player Ben Cambriani, who was born in Swansea, while Montemauri opened the scoring with a penalty.

Cardiff responded almost immediately with centres Thomas and Lee-Lo bursting through the Zebre defence before Sheedy's clever cross-kick found Winnett.

Visiting wing Jacopo Trulla missed a long-range effort before another pin-point Sheedy kick was gathered by Stephens for the second try.

Some loose defensive play from Zebre gave Cardiff the platform for an attacking line-out and impressive flanker Thomas dived over.

Cardiff's defence comfortably coped with Zebre's limp attack as they led 17-3 at half-time.

Following a scrappy third quarter, there were a raft of second-half changes, with prop Ed Byrne and South African scrum-half Johann Mulder making their debuts off the bench to take the number of new players to eight.

After a unusual attacking line-out saw Cardiff use wing Grady as a receiver, former Bath and England lock McNally burrowed his way over for the bonus-point try.

Cardiff's defence switched off to allow Bertaccini to glide through for his fine effort.

It typified a poor second half display from Cardiff as Zebre dominated territory and possession with flanker Locatelli scoring with the final move of the match.

Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt: "It was perfect in terms in terms of five points but not perfect in terms of performance.

"There were eight new players, new coaches and it will take a bit of time to be cohesive.

"Before the game I would have taken five points, job done and then onto the Scarlets next weekend."

Cardiff: Cam Winnett; Mason Grady, Rey Lee-Lo, Ben Thomas, Iwan Stephens; Callum Sheedy, Aled Davies; Danny Southworth, Liam Belcher (capt), Keiron Assiratti, Josh McNally, Teddy Williams, James Botham, Dan Thomas, Ben Donnell.

Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Ed Byrne, Rhys Litterick, Rory Thornton, Alun Lawrence, Johan Mulder, Tinus de Beer, Harri Millard

Zebre: Geronimo Prisciantelli; Ben Cambriani, Giulio Bertaccini, Luca Morisi, Jacopo Trulla; Giovanni Montemauri, Ratko Jelic; Luca Rizzoli, Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Matteo Nocera, Matteo Canali, Leonard Krumov, Davide Ruggeri, Samuele Locatelli, Giovanni Licata (capt).

Replacements: Giampietro Ribaldi, Danilo Fischetti, Juan Pitinari, Andrea Zambonin, Giacomo Ferrari, Rodrigo Patricio, Francesco Ruffolo, Giacomo Da Re

Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)

Assistant referees: Mike English & Rhys Jones (WRU)

TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)