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ENIn sport, says Moreno Molla, «the table is a cruel beast»: in the end it’s what’s left. And Zebre, after two rounds, had already given him the message — so much so that he’d launched a poll in his community on the season’s realistic target.
The point, though, is a paradox: Parma played better than last year, but collected less.
How Zebre’s season went
Better in the rugby they played, worse in the results. The «special» wins of the previous season were missing — the upset at Edinburgh, the one at Ulster — and with opponents paying more attention, the spectacular hammerings disappeared too: fewer embarrassments, but also fewer exploits.
Brunello, the comeback specialist
For Massimo Brunello it was the hardest year. He’s good, he’s «specialised in turning around tricky situations» — rugby’s Mr Wolf — but in the long run that role brings little satisfaction. And the squad, honestly, isn’t on a par with the other URC sides: you play better, but the gap in personnel remains.
The monkey to shake off: the derby
The turning point, according to Molla, has a precise name: beating Benetton. And not by fluke — as happened a few years ago, in the two derbies won during the winless season later capped by the Rainbow Cup, when Treviso were struggling, though. Winning a derby, better still two, on equal terms: it would be like unlocking those one-point games that slip away today. It’s the same theme as the national team — learning to win even when you’re not at your best.
«Zebre have to shake off a huge monkey: beating Benetton, and not by fluke.»
Read also: Benetton’s «5.5» season · Italy v Australia in Udine, the finest win
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