Zebre 19
Munster 36
John Fallon reporting in Parma
MUNSTER MADE IT eleven wins from eleven against Zebre to get the Johann van Graan era off to a victorious start in Parma.
Van Graan just kept a watching brief as Felix Jones and Jerry Flannery ran the show in what turned out to be a routine win.
Munster looked to be coasting to victory against a second string Zebre side when they opened up a 17-0 lead after just 26 minutes.
Rory Scannell got in for the opening try after early dominance finally yielded a touchdown after 18 minutes, with JJ Hanrahan’s conversion making it 10-0 having earlier landed one of three penalties.
Scrum-half James Hart crowned his first start with try after temporary replacement Brian Scott snatched a lineout.
But then it unravelled for Munster when first Robin Copeland was binned and Zebre struck for their opening try when centre Giulio Bisegni scored after former Connacht full-back Ciaran Gaffney was stopped short.
And then when the impressive Sam Arnold was yellow-carded, Zebre used the space to go wide and send captain Jacopo Sarto over in the left corner for a try which was again converted by scrum-half Guglielmo Palazzani to leave it 17-14 to Munster at the break.
Munster took control again once they got back to 15 players and Alex Wootton wrapped up the game and a bonus point with two tries in a four-minute spell.
He got the first after 53 minutes in the right corner and then a superb long pass from Simon Zebo sent him over in the left corner for the clinching score.
Winger Gio Venditti pulled back a try for an understrength Zebre side in the closing stages but Munster finished on a high when Calvin Nash got in for their fifth try at the death.
Scorers
Zebre
Tries: G Bisegni, J Sarto, G Venditti.
Conversions : G Palazzani (2)
Munster
Tries: A Wootton (2), R Scannell, J Hart, C Nash.
Conversions : JJ Hanrahan (4).
Penalties: Hanrahan.
Zebre: Ciaran Gaffney; Pierre Bruno, Giulio Bisegni, Faialaga Afamasaga, Gio D’Onofrio; Maicol Azzolini, Guglielmo Palazzani; Cruze Ah-Nau, Luhandre Luus (Oliviero Fabiaini ’41), Eduardo Bello; James Tucker, Leonard Krumov; Jacopo Sarto, Johan Meyer, Derick Minnie (Maxime Mbanda ’43).
Munster: Simon Zebo (Bill Johnston ’76); Darren Sweetnam, Sam Arnold, Rory Scannell, Alex Wootton (Calvin Nash ’67); JJ Hanrahan, James Hart (Jack Stafford ’76); Liam O’Connor (Brian Scott ’67), Rhys Marshall (Kevin O’Byrne ’63), Stephen Archer (Brian Scott ’21-’27, Ciaran Parker ‘78); Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland; Jack O’Donoghue, Chris Cloete, Robin Copeland.
Referee: Lloyd Linton (Scotland).
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