The Zebre Parma began their 2026/27 United Rugby Championship campaign with a 13-47 defeat against the Vodacom Bulls at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi. Massimo Brunello’s side, captained by Alessandro Fusco, trailed 21-6 at half-time before their captain crossed for a try in the second half. The Vodacom Bulls, coached by Johan Ackermann and captained by Marcell Coetzee, scored six tries and a penalty try to secure the victory and five league points.
FIRST HALF
Zebre Parma opened the scoring in the 13th minute through a Tommaso Allan penalty, giving the gialloblù a 3-0 lead. In the 26th minute, the Vodacom Bulls responded with a penalty try, awarded following a yellow card shown to Matteo Canali. Allan kicked his second penalty of the match in the 30th minute to bring Zebre back to within one point at 6-7. In the 31st minute, Reinhardt Ludwig scored the Vodacom Bulls’ first try, converted by Curwin Bosch. Paul de Wet crossed for another try in the 38th minute, with Bosch adding the conversion. In the 43rd minute, Ruan Vermaak scored the Bulls’ third try, again converted by Bosch. The first half ended with the visitors leading 21-6.
Half-time: Zebre Parma 6-21 Vodacom Bulls.
SECOND HALF
In the 51st minute, Harold Vorster scored the Vodacom Bulls’ fourth try, with Curwin Bosch adding the conversion. Alessandro Fusco reduced the deficit with a try for Zebre Parma in the 58th minute, and Tommaso Allan converted a minute later to make it 13-35. The Vodacom Bulls scored twice more in the closing stages. In the 79th minute, Reinhardt Ludwig crossed for his second try of the match, converted by Willie le Roux in the 80th minute. At 80+3’, Zak Burger scored the Bulls’ sixth try. Le Roux’s subsequent conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
Full-time: Zebre Parma 13-47 Vodacom Bulls.
MATCH REPORT
Result: Zebre Parma 13-47 Vodacom Bulls Venue: Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma Date: 26 September 2026 Kick-off: 18:30
Referee: Andrew Brace Assistant referees: Franco Rosella, Alberto Favaro TMO: Olly Hodges
Head Coaches: Massimo Brunello (Zebre Parma), Johan Ackermann (Vodacom Bulls)
Scorers: 13’ Penalty: Allan (3-0) 26’ Penalty try: Vodacom Bulls (3-7) 30’ Penalty: Allan (6-7) 31’ Try: Ludwig, conversion Bosch (6-14) 38’ Try: de Wet, conversion Bosch (6-21) 43’ Try: Vermaak, conversion Bosch (6-28) 51’ Try: Vorster, conversion Bosch (6-35) 58’ Try: Fusco, conversion Allan (13-35) 79’ Try: Ludwig, conversion le Roux (13-42) 80+3’ Try: Burger (13-47)
Kicking: Allan (Zebre Parma) 3/3 Bosch (Vodacom Bulls) 4/4 le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) 1/2
Yellow cards: 26’ Matteo Canali (Zebre Parma) 77’ Jeandre Rudolph (Vodacom Bulls) 80+2’ Sergio Pelliccioli (Zebre Parma)
Attendance: 2,498
Player of the Match: Paul De Wet (Vodacom Bulls)
TEAMS
ZEBRE PARMA
15 Tommaso Allan 14 Mirko Belloni 13 Giulio Bertaccini 12 Damiano Mazza 11 Simone Gesi (50’ Marco Zanon) 10 Giacomo Da Re (54’ Giovanni Montemauri) 9 Alessandro Fusco (C) (60’ Thomas Dominguez) 8 Giovanni Licata 7 Samuele Locatelli 6 Giacomo Ferrari (53’ Davide Ruggeri) 5 Leonard Krumov (66’ Franco Carrera) 4 Matteo Canali 3 Juan Ignacio Castellano (33’ Filippo Alongi) 2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (57’ Francisco Minervino) 1 Federico Pisani (33’ Sergio Pelliccioli)
Replacements: 16 Francisco Minervino 17 Sergio Pelliccioli 18 Filippo Alongi 19 Franco Carrera 20 Davide Ruggeri 21 Thomas Dominguez 22 Marco Zanon 23 Giovanni Montemauri
VODACOM BULLS
15 Willie Le Roux 14 Sebastian de Klerk (53’ Cheswill Jooste) 13 Stedman Gans 12 Harold Vorster (71’ Zak Burger) 11 Stravino Jacobs 10 Curwin Bosch (53’ Hakeem Kunene) 9 Paul De Wet (71’ Zak Burger) 8 Jeandre Rudolph 7 Hanro Liebenberg 6 Marcell Coetzee (C) (71’ Nizaam Carr) 5 Reinhardt Ludwig 4 Ruan Vermaak (71’ JF Van Heerden) 3 Francois Klopper (53’ Mornay Smith) 2 Juann Else (53’ Janco Uys) 1 Alulutho Tshakweni (53’ Dylan Smith)
Replacements: 16 Janco Uys 17 Dylan Smith 18 Mornay Smith 19 JF Van Heerden 20 Nizaam Carr 21 Zak Burger 22 Cheswill Jooste 23 Hakeem Kunene
NOTES
The Zebra of the Match, presented by club partner Arena Sunshine, was Damiano Mazza.
Leonard Krumov made his 150th appearance for Zebre Parma.
During half-time, Zebre Parma players presented the new official jerseys to the Gamberi – Cuori Gialloblù, an inclusive rugby team for athletes with disabilities.