Both Italian sides remain winless after three rounds of the United Rugby Championship. Benetton threw away another game with poor tackling, while Zebre showed fight despite losing to table-topping Edinburgh. The hosts look ahead to the EPCR as a fresh start, share a wild night out at an Irish bar, and predict Italy will shock France in the Six Nations.

00:00 — Intro & welcome from Florence

00:55 — Benetton vs Scarlets: lost 27-26

01:25 — Benetton's table position: 15th, all losses to bottom-half teams

02:17 — First half good, second half collapse

02:30 — Lewis Liner standout performance

03:12 — Tackling problems & Retafa's missed tackle

05:17 — Bad attitude coming out after halftime

05:55 — Forward pack dominance not exploited

08:50 — Team-wide attitude problem, not individuals

10:40 — Controversial disallowed try (came off his knee)

12:39 — Final score & who is Owens?

13:14 — Zebre vs Edinburgh review begins

14:28 — Fusco's brilliant try from his own 22

15:24 — Zebre's positives: energy, drive, camaraderie

17:18 — Looking ahead: EPCR — Benetton vs Castres, Zebre vs Ulster

19:21 — What made Coach Mad: not exploiting patterns

19:51 — Meeting the 19-year-old Australians in Florence

21:23 — Shout-out: The Old Stove Irish Bar

22:24 — Outro: Italian rugby not looking good

22:48 — Prediction: Italy will beat France in the Six Nations

23:59 — Sign-off

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Season 5 is here and it already feels like Season 4. Benetton are 0 from 2 at home after a crushing loss to Connacht, with 20 missed tackles and a worrying lack of desire in the backs. Meanwhile, Zebre put in a stunning late comeback against Cardiff, scoring three tries in nine minutes and showing the heart Benetton are missing.

We break down both games, look ahead to Week 3 (Scarlets away and Edinburgh at home), and discuss whether Jacob Umaga can become the leader Benetton's backs desperately need. Plus: Italian gym membership bureaucracy, the lost phone saga, and why carrier pigeons should make a comeback.

Done. 12 chapter markers:

00:00 — Intro & Benetton defense

05:00 — 20 missed tackles

08:30 — Backs don't care

10:00 — Leaders & Negri injury

13:00 — Who leads the backs?

15:00 — Negri prognosis

17:30 — Scarlets must-win

20:00 — Zebre backline & Allan

25:00 — Tommy Allan & carrier pigeons

30:00 — Gym hassle & lost phone

35:00 — Phone tracker & anger

39:00 — Sign-off

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Welcome back to Spritz & Scrums! We kicked off the 2026/27 URC season with our ultimate Italian "Super Rugby Grand Tour" — traveling through Treviso, Venice, Parma, and ending in Florence.

While the rugby on the pitch had its ups and downs, the trip was a 12/10! Join us live from our Mercedes as we dissect Benetton’s frustrating 19-19 draw against the Dragons, take a look at Zebre Parma’s spirited performance against a full-strength Bulls side, check in on Stadio Monigo's new stand, review the new United Colors of Benetton apparel, and share a few personal updates.

Grab a spritz and join the chat in the comments!

00:00 Intro & Welcome to Spritz and Scrums

01:36 The URC Grand Tour: Treviso, Venice, Parma & Florence

02:52 New stand at Stadio Monigo

05:38 Benetton vs Dragons: Match Review

10:39 Benetton's Leadership Vacuum & Player Exodus

17:51 New Benetton Merch: United Colors of Benetton Retro Shirts

21:41 Zebre Parma vs Bulls: Match Review

29:23 Zebre's Fighting Spirit & Season Outlook

31:01 What Made Coach Mad This Week

37:15 Outro, Shoutouts & Sign-Off

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