Zebre vs Munster Preview
Munster Rugby face Zebre Parma on Saturday, August 28th, at 3 pm in Italy. The Red Army hopes to make it two wins from two in the United Rugby Championship this weekend. It’s a great opportunity to start the new campaign in style.
The Irish province enters this game off a hard-fought victory over Connacht. They’re big favourites to beat Zebre. The Italians finished in last place in the URC table and hope to show signs of improvement this year. It would be a massive shock if they stunned the Irish giants. Zebre fell short against the Cardiff Blues and Munster represents an even sterner test. Can they cause an upset at home or will Munster make it back-to-back wins to begin the season?
Zebre vs Munster Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Munster topped the URC table in 2023/24 but fell short in the knockout stages. Graham Rowntree and his men hope to go all the way this year. They made a good start in a very entertaining victory over provincial rivals Connacht.
The southern province won 35-33 in a 10-try thriller. They secured the bonus point, but it didn’t come easy. Alex Nankivell delivered an outstanding performance and looks to be taking his game to new levels already.
Zebre have never defeated Munster in the United Rugby Championship. The reading isn’t good for the Italian side. Munster have put more than 40 points past Zebre on seven occasions since 2012. It’s easy to see why few people are giving them a chance in this game.
They haven’t won a competitive game since they played Oyannax in the Challenge Cup in 2023. It’s been a tough couple of years for the Italians. Zebre finished the season on a 13-game losing streak. They have a new coach in former Italy U-20s boss Massimo Brunello who replaced Fabio Roselli. It remains to be seen if his style fits the Italian giants well.
They do have an elite centre in Enrico Lucchin. When Zebre partners him with Luca Morisi, they only concede one try every hour on average. They absorbed 100 fewer points last season than the previous year, so there was progress.
Munster needs help with fly-half. Regular starter Jack Crowley remains out for a couple of weeks. Billy Burns is a major doubt for this game. This may allow Tony Butler to show what he can do. Butler did little wrong against Connacht and Zebre is, on paper, a weaker opponent. The 22-year-old showed confidence after making the step up from the academy.
The Irish side scored 67 tries last year with 506 points. In comparison, Zebre had 42 tries with 345 points. Only time will tell if they can threaten Munster’s back line. The evidence isn’t very kind to Parma.
Zebre vs Munster Predictions
Predicted Score: Zebre 15 – 45 Munster
Our rugby prediction is that Munster will dominate this game and crush Zebre in style. They have too much firepower for the Italians and fell narrowly short of winning this competition last year. They’re hoping to prove that they’re reaching a new level.
Gavin Coombes is one of their key players. He had the most successful carries in the entire URC last season with 116. Meanwhile, Shane Daly had the second-most metres gained. It’s going to be tough for Zebre to hold back the Munster storm.
Billy Burns’ absence is a blow for Munster because he had a 100% kicking record in the United Rugby Championship last season with Ulster. They’re already without first-choice No. 10 Jack Crowley. Tony Butler is an unknown variable, but he should be fine. Experienced pros like Craig Casey and Alex Nankivell will guide him through the game.
There’s a chance that Thaakir Abrahams will run riot against Parma. The South African hopes to make a big impact this season after he arrived from Lyon. Diarmuid Kilgallon is unavailable, so Abrahams has an enormous opportunity to show what he can do. Watch out for Pa Campbell, who many analysts are tipping for a breakout year.
Zebre concede many scores, but they can snatch unlikely tries too. The likes of Jacopo Trulla and Giulio Bertaccini could cause Munster some damage. It’s unlikely to be more than a consolation, but they’ll probably get on the board.
The five-metre lineout overthrow finally backfired.
Munster back row Ruadhán Quinn scores from Zebre's throw. pic.twitter.com/IfbyFGKNNd
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) March 4, 2024
We also predict that Munster will secure the bonus point in this game. They achieved that against Connacht. Zebre should be an easier match-up than their Irish rivals. The only worry for Munster fans is that Rowntree over-rotates or they lose a key player during the game.
Don’t forget to check the live betting during this game. One knock or red card could change the entire dynamic. Munster is one injury away from playing their academy fly-half Dylan Hicks. It would be very interesting if the 19-year-old found himself on the field.
Zebre vs Munster Betting Tips
It’s no shock that Munster is a massive favourite to win this game on the sports betting platform. They’ve dominated this rivalry while Zebre enters another transitional period under a new head coach. It’s difficult to give them any chance of victory.
The problem with this is that it also makes it challenging to bet on Munster for an outright win. They’re currently 1/10 favourites, so a €10 stake would only make a euro if successful. That’s not lucrative enough for most players. Luckily, rugby betting offers many markets to enhance your returns.
Consider applying a handicap because this is more profitable. We picking the -14.5 line at 22/25. This would turn €10 into €18.80 if successful. Munster must do plenty of work, but we think they have the firepower in their starting lineup to achieve it. Craig Casey and Alex Nankivell are quality stars hoping to prove they’re at the top level.
Another option is the winning margin. We’re picking Munster to win this game by 15 or more points. Historically, they regularly put 30 points past Zebre and we don’t think the Italians can close the gap. This market is available at 5/6 for a decent profit.
Some players may choose an over-under bet on the total number of points. We believe there may be over 60 in this clash. Choose odd/even match total points at 17/20. This is a coin toss but remember Munster’s fly-half woes. It’s not a given that they’ll complete all their conversions.
It would be a massive shock if Zebre defeated Munster. Their fanbase would demand an inquest and it would send a ripple through the URC. Nonetheless, upsets can happen and every team can have an off day. It’s 11/2 for them to defeat the Irish giants. The same €10 wager could make a €55 profit.
A better option would be to choose a Zebre player to score. Bertaccini possesses a rapid pace and could be a good pick to grab a try. This is more likely if Munster takes a big lead and then eases their foot off the gas in the second half.
There’s plenty more Irish URC action this weekend. You can bet on Leinster when they host Newport Gwent Dragons at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Meanwhile, Connacht will play The Sharks at the Showgrounds. Arguably, Ulster has the toughest test as they travel to South Africa to play the Lions. Why not create an accumulator with all the Irish teams to win?
Zebre Team News and Predicted Lineup
Brunello has a tough job this weekend trying to stop this powerful Munster side. There were promising signs against Cardiff. So we expect he’ll play a similar lineup. The Italians don’t have many injury doubts. However, new signing Jack Da Re may come into the starting lineup at flyhalf.
- Predicted Lineup: 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.
Munster Team News and Predicted Lineup
Graham Rowntree has an early quandary at flyhalf. Billy Burns is a significant injury, doubt after he came off against Connacht. Tony Butler is likely to step up, but that’s a gamble. There’s an outside chance that Jack Crowley makes an early return.
Dave Kilcoyne returned to full training this week. However, the Zebre game will come too early for him as he proves his fitness. Diarmuid Kilgallon, Brian Gleeson, and Cian Hurley are among eight senior players continuing to rehab. Internationals including Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray will return to the fold.
- Predicted Lineup: Mike Haley, Thaakir Abrahams, Sean O’Brien, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly, Tony Butler, Craig Casey, Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan, Jack O’Donoghue Fineen Wycherley, Alex Kendellen, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
