Zebre celebrated as if they had just won the title, and while the reviews will show they were aided in their biggest day by an error-strewn Munster, they were full value for their six tries to five win over the 2022-23 winners in the sunshine at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.
All 20 previous games between the sides had gone Munster’s way, sometimes by landslide margins, while the Reds had not lost to Italian opposition in 11 years.
“I could be here until it gets dark talking about things we need to do better,” said Munster head coach Graham Rowntree. “That wasn’t good enough from us. We lost our way in the third quarter.
“A spirited, brilliant performance from Zebre. Credit to them, they didn’t stop playing. They took their opportunities.
“They were great at the breakdown, credit to Zebre.”
The celebrations at the finish in the Italian sunshine would have done justice to a cup win, but the review will make very painful viewing for Munster, who conceded five tries last weekend to Connacht but managed to win.
The concession of half a dozen tries to the side stuck at the bottom of the league for almost all of the last decade will be deemed unacceptable by Munster, but there were multiple shortcomings throughout their display.
It was an error-strewn opening half from Munster, yet they had plenty to celebrate by the interval, not least the bonus point already in the bag and a flattering 28-15 lead.
Gavin Coombes crowned his 100th appearance with a brace of tries and Garryowen captain Bryan Fitzgerald, signed as cover in the centre on a short-term deal, marked his Munster senior debut by securing the bonus point in the right corner just before the break.
Add in four conversions from Tony Butler, three of them from difficult angles as he again made the most of the chance to impress at out-half, and Munster coach Graham Rowntree should have been pleased at the break.
But behind those positives were a litany of mistakes from sloppy handling, poor defending, kicks going out direct and set-piece difficulties, which Zebre pounced on to deservedly hit the front.
Add in injuries to both wingers, Shane Daly and Thaakir Abrahams, and there was much for the Munster management to focus on against a side which had lost 14 URC games in a row.
An early penalty from out-half Giovanni Montemauri settled Zebre, while winger Jacopo Trulla was narrowly wide with one from long range as the Parma side tried to lay down a marker.
But mistakes were rife from both sides. Craig Casey found a superb 50:22 in the left corner. Munster made a mess of the lineout but then Zebre were pinged for delaying at the base of the ruck. Munster made them pay, working off the resultant scrum for Coombes, as usual, to strike from close range after several phases.
Butler had to rush the conversion with confusion over the shot clock, but he nailed the snapshot.
Zebre hit back and after Butler kicked out directly after they had taken the ball back inside the 22, the Italians worked it across to create the overlap down the right for Trulla to score.
Montemauri overran the shot clock but added the extras after 27 minutes when Italian scrum-half Alessandro Fusco stepped inside Oli Jager and held off Fitzgerald’s tackle to score and lead 15-7.
Munster regrouped and Coombes took his haul to 44 tries in his century of appearances when he again struck from close range after a sustained build-up.
A good break by Ruadhan Quinn set up Munster’s third try, with Casey’s looping pass sending Mike Haley over in the right corner six minutes from the break.
Haley turned provider for Fitzgerald’s big moment as the 25-year-old scored on the right for Butler, who kicked two vital conversions after coming on in the win over Connacht, maintained his excellent run off the tee to lead 28-15 at the break, but he won’t be pleased with most other aspects of his display.
Trulla intercepted Haley’s long pass two minutes after the restart to cut the gap to eight when he ran in from almost halfway down the right. And they pushed on from there and deservedly got the bonus point and cut the gap to 28-27 after 52 minutes when they eventually wore down the Munster rearguard for No.8 Giovanni Licati to squeeze over.
Munster just could not respond and it was Zebre who upped the tempo, constantly trying to play their way out of the tackle and go wide and were rewarded with some excellent scores.
They deservedly hit the front on the hour when Fusco repeated his dummy act, this time stepping inside replacement loosehead Jeremy Loughman to sprint home from 30 metres, with the conversion pushing them 34-28 in front.
It got better for them three minutes later when Trulla turned provider and full-back Giovanni Prisciantelli did the rest down the right to race through for their sixth try as the home crowd sensed history in the offing.
Munster got a lifeline when Haley, Fitzgerald and Conor Murray, who came on at out-half for Butler, combined to send Shay McCarthy over for a try in the left corner two minutes from the end.
Murray took over the kicking duties but was off target with the difficult conversion from the lefty touchline, leaving them needing a converted try to save the day.
But Zebre were not to be denied, executing another superb turnover on the deck in the final place. And up stepped replacement out-half Giacomo Da Re to land the penalty from 30 metres, sealing the win and ensuring Munster left Italy with a try bonus point but without a losing bonus point.
Scorers – Zebre: Tries: J Trulla (2), A Fusco (2), G Licati, G Prisciantelli. Cons: G Montemauri (3). Pens: Montemauri, G Da Re. Munster: Tries: G Coombes (2), M Haley, B Fitzgerald, S McCarthy. Cons: T Butler (4).
Zebre Parma: G Prisciantelli; J Trulla, S Gregory, L Morisi, S Gesi; G Montemauri (G Da Re 62), A Fusco (D Ruggeri 62); D Fischetti (c) (L Rizzoli 59), T Di Bartolomeo (G Ribaldi 59), M Nocera (J Pitinari 35-40, 59); M Canali, L Krumov; D Ruggeri, S Locatelli, G Licata (G Ferrari 53).
Munster: M Haley; C Nash, S Daly (B Fitzgerald 6), T Farrell, T Abrahams (S McCarthy 26); T Butler (C Murray 71), C Casey; J Wycherley (J Loughman 47), D Barron (c) (N Scannell 53), O Jager (J Ryan 47); J Kleyn, F Wycherley (J Daly 59, F Wycherley 73); R Quinn (J O’Donoghue 53), J Hodnett, G Coombes.
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland).
