Ulster's Ethan McIlroy has stated that the United Rugby Championship (URC) is as competitive as it has ever been, and that his team will have to perform at their best to beat Zebre. This follows Connacht's victory over Ulster, but they are only seven points off third-place Ulster. McIlory also highlighted the difficulty of playing against the bottom-placed team, noting that the league is so competitive that it will take a larger part of the squad to overcome challenges. The Ulster team will face a tough run to the play-offs, including a trip to Parma and a European Challenge Cup tie against Ospreys.