Zebre halted a six-match losing streak with a 24-10 win over Connacht and the Cheetahs consigned Conference B leader Scarlets to only a second Pro14 defeat of the season on Sunday (AEDT).

Not since the end of September had Zebre celebrated a victory, but tries from Johan Meyer and Giovanbattista Venditti and 14 points from the boot of Carlo Canna gave it just a third Pro14 win of the campaign.

The Italian side is now within two points of Connacht in Conference A after a hard-fought success at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, where two Canna penalties put it 6-0 up at half-time.

Tom Farrell raced through for a converted try to put the 2016 champion in front early in the second half and Jack Carty slotted over a penalty to restore its one-point advantage after a third Canna kick.

Zebre was not to be denied, Meyer and Venditti going over in the last 13 minutes and Canna nailing a drop-goal as the Parma-based side stopped the rot.

Craig Barry claimed a brace in a 28-21 win for Cheetahs over Scarlets at Free State Stadium.

William Small-Smith also dotted down as Scarlets saw their advantage over Leinster at the Conference B summit cut to three points, tries from James Davies and Ioan Nicholas proving to be in vain.

Munster, second in Conference A, eased to a five-try 36-10 victory over Ospreys, while James Lowe scored two tries on his debut in Leinster's 36-10 win at Benetton Treviso.