Pro12: Cardiff Blues 56-8 Treviso

Ellis Jenkins opened the scoring for the Blues

Cardiff Blues maintained their hopes of reaching the top half of the Pro12 with an eight-try win over Treviso.

Ellis Jenkins and Josh Navidi crossed in the first half before scores from Rey Lee-Lo and Kristian Dacey ensured a bonus point in 53 minutes.

A flurry of late scores came from Manoa Vosawai, Tom James, Dan Fish and Rhys Patchell as the Blues ran riot.

Gareth Anscombe kicked 12 points and Jarrod Evans added two late conversions.

The result sees the Blues overtake Ospreys in the Pro12 table ahead of the Swansea region's home game against Scarlets on Saturday.

The home side welcomed back Wales captain Sam Warburton after concussion for his first league appearance since November.

Regional skipper Gethin Jenkins and fly-half Anscombe also returned from international duties, with Wales coach Warren Gatland among the crowd.

Josh Navidi was part of a potent Blues back-row trio

Warburton had an early chance with a chip and chase but it was fellow flanker Ellis Jenkins who opened the scoring from a driving maul after just eight minutes.

Jayden Hayward and Anscombe swapped penalties before a sweeping Blues attack was finished by Navidi after 32 minutes.

The Blues made sure of the bonus point early in the second half with Lee-Lo getting his first league try from a Josh Turnbull break, and Dacey plunging over from close-range.

Tough fixture list

Marco Lazzaroni replied for Treviso on the hour, but the Italians were on the wrong end of a nightmare penalty count in the last quarter.

Vosawai's try against his old club opened the floodgates in earnest with James, Fish and Patchell completing the rout in a 10-minute spell of one-way traffic.

Turnbull was named man-of-the-match for another hard-working performance in the pack.

Cardiff Blues now face a series of derbies against the Scarlets, Newport Gwent Dragons and the Ospreys in their attempt to finish the season in the top six.

Cardiff Blues: Rhys Patchell; Dan Fish, Garyn Smith, Rey Lee-Lo, Tom James; Gareth Anscombe, Lloyd Williams; Gethin Jenkins (capt), Kristian Dacey, Dillon Lewis, Josh Turnbull, James Down, Ellis Jenkins, Sam Warburton, Josh Navidi.

Replacements: Matthew Rees, Brad Thyer, Scott Andrews, Jarrad Hoeata, Manoa Vosawai, Lewis Jones, Jarrod Evans, Aled Summerhill.

Treviso: Jayden Hayward; Angelo Esposito, Tommaso Iannone, Alberto Sgarbi (capt), Ludovico Nitoglia; Sam Christie, Chris Smylie; Alberto De Marchi, Luca Bigi, Simone Ferrari, Filo Paulo, Tom Palmer, Marco Barbini, Marco Lazzaroni, Dean Budd.

Replacements: Davide Giazzon, Cherif Traorè, Filippo Filippetto, Jeff Montauriol, Abraham Steyn, Andrea De Marchi, Alberto Lucchese, Simone Ragusi.

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)

Assistant referees: Dan Jones, Martyn Lewis (WRU)

Citing commissioner: Gwyn Bowden (WRU)

TMO: Paul Adams (WRU)