Booth spoke prior to the match about wanting to start block two of the URC on a positive note, but an understrength Ospreys would be undone on the night with Zebre’s execution on point from the off.
The Italian side had not beaten a Welsh region since the Dragons’ visit in April 2022 but were deserved winners at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi with wing Simone Gesi scoring two tries of the highest quality in the first half.
Former Cheetah Dan Kasende kept the visitors in touch with a score of his own before the break.
The off colour Welsh region, however, would fail to make the most of opportunities in the opposition twenty-two as wing Jacopo Trulla crossed to extend Zebre’s lead minutes into the second period with a decisive third try,
Booth’s side huffed and puffed in the last 20 and finally made a breakthrough with replacement hooker Lewis Lloyd bulldozering over to give the Ospreys hope in the dying minutes.
It would prove to be too little too late as the Italians would hold out a late onslaught to pick up a rare victory. The result moving Zebre off the bottom of the URC table and leaving the Ospreys languishing in 14th one place above their opposition, separated only by points difference.
“I’m disappointed because we had plenty of opportunities at the right end of the pitch, [but we] couldn’t execute well enough and we got killed at the breakdown,” said Booth after the game.
“It was very difficult, the referee penalised them strongly, and we didn’t change our behaviour, we needed to be better.
“We need to convert that sort of pressure into points, and we didn’t do that.
“Credit to Zebre for the result and the way they approached the match, they were everything we weren’t. They were clinical and good at the breakdown, and we weren’t.
“They didn’t have the opportunities that we had, we had plenty, but they converted them on the scoreboard.
“All that matters is what the scoreboard says at the end.”
[Lead image: Ospreys Rugby]
