Edinburgh Rugby suffered a chastening defeat in the URC after going down 22-17 at home to Zebre. Even without a glut of Scotland internationalists, Edinburgh were warm favourites to defeat their Italian visitors. However, Sean Everitt’s men were error-strewn and lacked a clinical edge, with Zebre winning in the capital for the first time since 2016 and backing up a victory on their last away-day at Ulster. This loss could be hugely damaging for head coach Everitt, who has already faced pressured situations this season, and Edinburgh’s play-off hopes. They went into the weekend sitting in eighth place and are set to slip out of the top eight by the end of the gameweek. Zebre started the game in sprightly fashion and scored the first try of the night on seven minutes when Jacopo Trulla crossed in the corner. Giacomo de Re failed to add the extras but the Italians already had a foothold in the match. Edinburgh set about responding themselves and the returning Emiliano Boffelli was involved in their first try, taking a low pass on the wing before feeding Ross McCann to burst through on 12 minutes. Ross Thompson tugged the conversion wide and the scores were level. Gonzalo Garcia put Zebre back in front with a try to the left of the posts, burrowing over from close range, and De Re made no mistake with the conversion to put the visitors 12-5 ahead. Edinburgh were giving away too many penalties and their cause was not helped when McCann was pinged and subsequently sent to the sin bin on 29 minutes. However, Zebre could not capitalise on the numerical advantage and they went in only seven points ahead. Edinburgh were pegged back in the early stages of the second half and belief in the Zebre ranks was swelling. They won a penalty on 48 minutes and De Re made no mistake to nudge the Italians further ahead 15-5. Needing a swift response, Edinburgh got themselves firmly back into contention when Mosese Tuipulotu ended a spell of pressure to score a try, with replacement Ben Healy adding the extras to make it 15-12 to Zebre. It was Tuipulotu’s first try in the URC. Edinburgh appeared to have the momentum going into the last 20 minutes, but Zebre punished the concession of a Marshall Sykes penalty, with a rolling maul ending in Tomasso Di Bartolomeo scoring a try and De Re converting. The game was going from end to end and Zebre talisman Gerónimo Prisciantelli was yellow carded on 69 minutes for a penalty concession. Edinburgh took full advantage, with Luke Crosbie ending a sustained period of pressure with a try. Healy snatched at the conversion and Zebre led 22-17. Edinburgh were given further impetus when Zebre’s Guido Volpi was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Crosbie and the visitors were down to 13 men going into the final stages of the match. Edinburgh laid siege to the Zebre line but the Italians defended so valiantly and forced a penalty in the shadow of their own posts when Hamish Watson was pinged for not releasing the ball on 76 minutes. Despite their numerical disadvantage, Zebre held their nerve and wildly celebrated a famous win in front of a stunned Hive Stadium crowd.