The United Rugby Championship season begins on Oct. 21 as teams begin their quest to reach the URC Grand Final on June 22.

Hoping to Improve from last season is Zebre Parma, which struggled mightily in 2022-2023.  Zebre Rugby went 0-0-18 in URC play, the only winless club, as the team finished 16th in the standings. 

The potential turnaround for the “the XV of the North-West,” as the club is often known as, will begin on Oct. 21 when the club hosts Ulster Rugby at 8 a.m. EST as part of Week 1 of the URC season. 

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Here’s what to know about Zebre Parma entering the 2023-2024 URC season. 

Zebre Parma Rugby URC Schedule 2023-2024

Here’s a look at the schedule for Zebre Parma: 

• Week 1, Oct. 21: Zebre Rugby vs Ulster, 8 a.m. ET
• Week 2, Oct. 28: Zebre Rugby at Ospreys, 8 a.m. ET
• Week 3, Nov. 4: Zebre Rugby vs. Vodacom Bulls, 9 a.m. ET
• Week 4, Nov. 10: Zebre Rugby vs. Hollywoodbets Sharks, 12:20 p.m. ET
• Week 5, Nov. 17: Zebre Rugby vs. Cardiff Rugby, 2:35 p.m. ET
• Week 6, Nov. 24: Zebre Rugby at Emirates Lions, 7: 55 a.m. ET
• Week 7, Dec. 2:  Zebre Rugby at DHL Stormers, 12:15 p.m. ET
• Week 8, Dec. 23: Zebre Rugby vs. Benetton, 8 a.m. ET
• Week 9, Dec. 30: Zebre Rugby at Benetton,  8:30 a.m. ET
• Week 10, Feb. 16: Zebre Rugby vs. Edinburgh, 2:25 p.m. ET
• Week 11, March 1: Zebre Rugby at Munster, 2:35 p.m. ET
• Week 12, March 23: Zebre Rugby vs. Leinster, 3:35 p.m. ET
• Week 13, March 29: Zebre Rugby at Dragons RFC, 3:35 p.m. ET
• Week 14, April 20: Zebre Rugby at Connact, 2:35 p.m. ET
• Week 15: April 27: Zebre Rugby vs. Glasgow Warriors, 8 a.m. ET
• Week 16, May 10: Zebre Rugby at Edinburgh, 2:35 p.m. ET
• Week 17, May 17: Zebre Rugby vs. Scarlets, 2:35 p.m. ET
• Week 18, May 31: Zebre Rugby at Glasgow Warriors, 2:35 p.m. ET

When Are the 2024 United Rugby Championship Quarterfinals?

The URC quarterfinals are June 7-8. Currently there are three games scheduled for June 8 and one on June 7. 

Times are to be announced. These games will be streamed on FloRugby and the FloSports app. 

When Are the 2024 United Rugby Championship Semifinals?

The URC Semifinals are June 15.

Times are to be announced. These games will be streamed on FloRugby and the FloSports app. 

When is the United Rugby Championship Grand Final?

The URC Grand Final is scheduled for June 22. 

The game will be streamed on FloRugby and the FloSports app. 

Zebre Rugby Odds of Winning The Grand Final

According to Sky Bet and other gambling sites, Zebre enters the season with the worst odds of winning the URC Grand Final at 1000-to-1. 

Leinster and defending champion Munster had the best odds.  

Who Is The Best Player For Zebre Parma Rugby? It’s Simone Gesi

The URC list the top 100 players entering the 2023-2024 season. Despite finishing 0-0-18, Zebre isn’t void of talent. 

Wing Simone Gesi rated as the No.14-ranked player in the URC. He is joined by center Enrico Lucchin, who was rated the No. 55-ranked player. 

Where Is Zebre Rugby Based?

The Zebre Rugby home grounds are Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma, Italy. 

Who Coaches Zebre Rugby? It’s Fabio Roselli 

Italian Rugby star Fabio Roselli is Zebre Rugby's head coach. Roselli played for the Italian National Team in the 1999 World Cup and played professionally for Rugby Roma Olimpic from 1989-2003.

He was an assistant for Zebre before becoming the head coach entering the 2022-2023 season, replacing Emiliano Bergamaschi. 

Zebre Rugby Competes For The EPCR Challenge Cup

Zebre, along with Benetton, will compete in the European Professional Club Rugby Challenge Cup. 

Zebre is one of 18 teams that compete for the cup, which runs at the same time as the URC season as well as the Champions Cup, which is now called the Investec Champions Cup. 

Teams that finish in the bottom half of the URC qualify for the EPCR. If Zebre would finish in the top eight of the URC this season, they would play in the Investec Champions Cup in 2024. 

Zebre was 0-0-4 in EPCR play last year. 

How Zebre Rugby Got Its Name

Zebre Rugby was founded in 1973 and is the first Italian invitation team. Inspired by the Barbarians Rugby team, the squad wore black and white jerseys, and thus they took up the zebre name and logo. 

The club was an invitational club until 1996 and the club, which in 2012 found new owners in the Italian Rugby Federation, settled in Parma. Zebre joined the Celtic Championship, which would eventually become the URC.  

The team officially adopted the name Zebre Parma in 2021. 

How To Watch Zebre Rugby 

Zebre Rugby is streaming live in the United States on FloRugby and the FloSports app. 

FloRugby us the U.S. streaming home for all URC, EPCR and Investec Champions Cup games. Watch replays and highlights of those games on both platforms. 

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