The Bulls began their United Rugby Championship campaign in commanding fashion on Friday, securing a comfortable 35-13 victory over Zebre in their round one clash in Italy. The Pretoria-based side controlled proceedings from the outset, asserting their physical dominance up front and capitalizing on defensive lapses from the hosts to accumulate a comprehensive scoreline that reflects their early-season ambitions in the competition.
Traveling to Parma is historically a tricky opening assignment for touring South African franchises, but the Bulls navigated the fixture with professional efficiency. Regular contenders at the sharp end of the URC table, the visitors utilized their tactical discipline and squad depth to wear down a resilient Zebre outfit, ensuring they collected a maximum haul of points to set an immediate marker for the rest of the league.
With the opening weekend successfully negotiated, the Bulls now turn their attention to the next phase of their European tour, where maintaining this early momentum will be crucial against stiffer competition. Meanwhile, Zebre must quickly regroup from this heavy home defeat and address structural vulnerabilities before their upcoming fixtures expose them further in a punishing tournament calendar.
