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Zebre Parma stand on the brink of oblivion

Giovanni Licata of Zebre dejected after his side's defeat in the United Rugby Championship match between Connacht and Zebre Parma at Dexcom Stadium in Galway. (Photo By Sam Barnes/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

The Federazione Italiana Rugby will decide Zebre Parma’s future in a meeting scheduled for tomorrow, but it seems the struggling franchise will close its doors next June.

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A new Italian URC franchise will likely take Zebre’s place, but this time around it will work independently of the union, in a similar fashion to Benetton’s current setup.

Italian journalist Ivan Malfatto reported today in the Italian newspaper Il Gazzettino that: “The Italian Rugby Union council will approve the criteria needed for an investor to acquire the Parma [Zebre] Rugby Franchise license. It is the moment of truth for the transfer to the Petraca facilities located in Padua to happen (URC directors have already been on site to approve it), with the support of industrialist Alessandro Banzato, who will inject 5M€ per season into the new franchise.”

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It is not clear whether the name ‘Zebre’ would survive the process, or whether a new name and brand will emerge as part of the overhaul, although RugbyPass understands the latter is the most likely outcome.

The recently elected Italian Rugby Union president, Andrea Duodo, had promised to review Zebre’s future as a club, with an eye to disbanding it, while on the campaign trail and it seems he is making good on that promise, with the proviso that the URC team franchise license will be preserved. He stated in his election manifesto that: “The URC franchises cannot live on their own, because the players come from the underlying movement. The Zebre are thus a cost. They are a project that absorbs energy and resources that can be redistributed in the underlying championships. We need to find a solution on the market that enhances the team and gives an economic advantage.”

Zebre depends heavily on the FIR and the side has been a major bone of contention in Italian rugby, with most local clubs demanding deep changes in how the franchise operates. If the license is successfully sold, it would likely mean a decrease in the union’s expenditures at the top level and would allow the FIR to invest in other parts of the game.

The Italian union would keep a minority stake in the new franchise – working in a similar fashion as to their current arrangement with Benetton.

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Enrico Grassi – owner and president of the Italian rugby club Valorugby – might also be interested in the license. Still, it is unclear if a joint venture between him and Banzato is possible.

It is also unclear what will happen with Zebre’s current roster, with the next couple of weeks set to be decisive. Zebre has taken part in the Pro12/URC from their base at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi since 2012, but it seems their adventure will end come 2025.

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Comments

3 Comments
L
LL 214 days ago

Let me tell you something about Italian rugby…political, favoritism, unprofessional, the best don’t get to show themselves. Unqualified administrators put there because of their connections.

A
AC 216 days ago

So, from what it sounds like, Zebre is dead but this won't have a huge effect on the URC because it'll be replaced with a franchise version of Petrarca, operating out of Padua?


Bit of a shame only in that Padua and Treviso are much closer together so you've really further condensed fully professional rugby's geographic footprint within Italy.


Other than that doesn't seem to be a huge change for the URC.

E
Ed the Duck 215 days ago

It will be a significant change if the new franchise can’t make its numbers add up, €5m/yr isn’t going to be nearly enough to operate in today’s financial climate.

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Soliloquin 14 minutes ago
All Blacks squeeze past France to sweep July series in Hamilton

Big question!

I think they would get outsmarted by the A team, outpacked forward and depending on the form of the A team, the score would be more or less 15-20 points a higher or lower victory.

The only issue is that France has a lot of 13s, and they were all in NZ.

This weekend’s team was gassed out, so it’s also very much linked to fitness level.

Just like the ABs were tired at the end of November, while the French were rusty after just one game against Japan.

I fear they will get smashed in Paris without Dupont (confirmed to be still out) by the Springboks as it will be their first game of the international season (a nonsense to me - the biggest game will be the first)


The squad for this France A would be:

Gros-Mauvaka-Tatafu

Flament-Meafou

Cros-Ollivon-Alldritt

Dupont-Ntamack

Moefana-?(all 13s were in NZ) Costes ?

Bielle-Biarrey-Penaud

Ramos


(But if you can take players from the NZ, then Guillard and Barassi or Fickou could be in)


Against the C team:

Erdocio-Bourgarit-Slimani

Auradou-Halagahu

Fischer-Guillard-Brennan

Le Garrec-Hastoy

Fickou-Depoortere

Attissogbe-Villière

Barré


And a B team would be:

Baille-Marchand-Atonio

Cazeaux-Vergé

Jegou-Jelonch-Gazzotti

Lucu-Jalibert

Danty-Frisch

Lebel-Dréan

Buros


———

France A-France C at full fitness: 38-12

France A-France B: 28-17

France B-France C: 32-20


It seems a bit like Toulouse is kind of France A at full power last year, UBB is France B at full power last year and Racing92 is France C at full power this year.

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