Cardiff power past Zebre for second straight URC win
Cardiff beat Zebre 40-27 at the Arms Park to start the United Rugby Championship season with back-to-back wins.
The Round 2 victory came in front of 7,231 supporters in the Welsh capital and followed Cardiff's opening-weekend win over Welsh rivals Scarlets, according to BBC Sport.
Cardiff were sharp early. They led 26-8 at half-time. They then pulled clear to 40-8 midway through the second half before Zebre hit back.
The home side ran in six tries in total. A try, worth five points for touching the ball down over the tryline, remains rugby union's main route to points. Wing Tom Bowen scored two of them.
He was joined on the scoresheet by lock Teddy Williams, prop Javan Sebastian, flanker Taine Basham and flanker Alex Mann. Sebastian's score is a reminder of how far the modern game has moved, with front-row forwards now expected to carry and finish as well as scrummage.
Zebre refused to fold. The Italian side finished strongly with four tries of their own. Francisco Minervino, Giacomo Ferrari, Giulio Bertaccini and Giacomo Da Re all crossed for the visitors.
That late surge cut the gap to 13 points. It denied Cardiff the comfort the scoreline had promised at 40-8. But the hosts had done enough.
For fans, this means momentum. Two wins from two is a strong start in the URC, the league that pits teams from Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Italy and South Africa against each other.
Cardiff now head to Leinster on 10 October, while Zebre host Edinburgh on the same day, according to the United Rugby Championship schedule.
