Three tries for Rob Herring set up a ruthless performance from Ulster as they surged past Zebre at the Kingspan.

Rob Lyttle, Robert Baloucoune and Peter Nelson all added scores either side of half time, with the Italians only managing a penalty try as they returned home empty handed.

Herring plundered over the line from a driving maul line-out to open the scoring, after Zebre had gone a man down when James Brown was sent to the bin.

The hooker then repeated the trick just five minutes later, Ulster capitalising on the extra man in the pack to power Zebre back and Herring dived over from close range.

Lyttle converted this one however, leaving it 12-0 after 20 minutes at the Kingspan.

But the hosts were also reduced to 14 when Louis Ludik deliberately knocked on to prevent Zebre scoring in the corner, meaning a yellow card and a penalty try.

Herring then completed his hat-trick on the half-hour mark biding his time at the back of the driving maul line-out to pounce as soon as he was within reach of the line for a mirror-image third.

Lyttle added to Zebre’s woes on the stroke of half time, diving over in the corner after quick hands put him in.

The winger converted his own score to make it 26-7 at the break.

Ulster continued the second half in much the same way, their strength up front proving too much in the rolling maul and referee Mike Adamson awarded a penalty try as Zebre illegally brought it down.

Ludik made up for his error earlier in the game when he broke through a gap in the Italians’ defence and dived over for Ulster’s sixth score.

The extras were added by Lyttle making it 40-7 with around half an hour left.

Ulster then hit seventh heaven with some lightning-fast hands putting Baloucoune in space on the wing to trot over, with Lyttle once more converting.

Nelson put the cherry on the top with a powerful run, shaking of multiple defenders to crash over and take Ulster over the 50-point mark.