Cardiff claim opening bonus-point win over Zebre

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 triumph successful nan opening United Rugby Championship (URC) crippled against perennial bottommost broadside Zebre.

Full-back Cameron Winnett crossed for nan opening effort earlier scores from caller players Iwan Stephens, Dan Thomas and Josh McNally.

New fly-half Callum Sheedy helped create nan opening 2 tries aft linking up good pinch centres Ben Thomas and Rey Lee-Lo.

Cardiff led 22-3 earlier fading severely and allowing Zebre backmost into nan crippled pinch tries from Giulio Bertaccini and Samuele Locatelli giving nan Italian broadside a losing prize point.

Wales half-backs Sheedy and Aled Davies were joined by chap caller boys Stephens, Thomas, Danny Southworth and McNally successful nan starting side.

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

The Italians, led by caller caput coach Massimo Brunello who helped revive Italy Under-20s, included erstwhile Wales Sevens subordinate Ben Cambriani, who was calved successful Swansea, while Montemauri opened nan scoring pinch a penalty.

Cardiff responded almost instantly pinch centres Thomas and Lee-Lo bursting done nan Zebre defence earlier Sheedy's clever cross-kick recovered Winnett.

Visiting helping Jacopo Trulla missed a long-range effort earlier different pin-point Sheedy footwear was gathered by Stephens for nan 2nd try.

Some loose protect play from Zebre gave Cardiff nan level for an attacking line-out and awesome flanker Thomas dived over.

Cardiff's defence comfortably coped pinch Zebre's limp onslaught arsenic they led 17-3 astatine half-time.

Following a scrappy 3rd quarter, location were a raft of second-half changes, pinch prop Ed Byrne and South African scrum-half Johann Mulder making their debuts disconnected nan chair to return nan number of caller players to eight.

After a different attacking line-out saw Cardiff usage helping Grady arsenic a receiver, erstwhile Bath and England fastener McNally burrowed his measurement complete for nan bonus-point try.

Cardiff's defence switched disconnected to let Bertaccini to glide done for his good effort.

It typified a mediocre 2nd half show from Cardiff arsenic Zebre dominated territory and possession pinch flanker Locatelli scoring pinch nan last move of nan match.

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)