Pro12: Zebre 29-14 Newport Gwent Dragons

Derick Minnie scores for Zebre

Italian strugglers Zebre powered to a bonus-point win over lowly Welsh team Newport Gwent Dragons to rise off the bottom of the Pro12.

Zebre overtook Treviso in the Italian rivalry for a place in the top-tier European Champions Cup.

Federico Ruzza and Derick Minnie's tries helped Zebre to a 15-7 lead at the break with Cory Hill responding.

Edoardo Padovani and Johan Meyer added two more for Zebre and Adam Hughes' reply was not enough for Dragons.

After fly-half Carlo Canna kicked the first of his nine points with the game's first penalty, visiting Wales lock Hill crossed and Angus O'Brien added the extras.

After Zebre made light work of a Dragons scrum, however, number eight Ruzza gathered to dive over and the hosts remained in the lead from that point on.

Flanker Minnie claimed scrum-half Marcello Violi's neat chip for a score confirmed by Irish television match official Brian MacNeice.

Wing Hughes struck back soon after the break to finish off the visitors' best attacking move.

O'Brien's conversion brought Dragons back to within a point, only for Zebre to again seize the initiative.

Full-back Padovani underlined his attacking threat by bursting clear to race over untouched after the break.

Flanker Meyer completed the comfortable win and send Zebre up to 11th, two points below Dragons with only three rounds left for these teams.

Treviso have the chance to go back above Zebre and even Dragons when they face Scarlets in Llanelli on Saturday night.

Zebre: Edoardo Padovani; Van Zyl Kayle, Giulio Bisegni, Tommaso Boni, Lloyd Greeff; Charles Reed, Marcello Violi; Andrea Lovotti, Tommaso D'Apice, Dario Chistolini, Gideon Koegelenberg, George Biagi (capt), Johan Meyer, Derick Minnie, Federico Ruzza.

Replacements: Oliviero Fabiani, Bruno Postiglioni, Pietro Ceccarelli, Joshua Furno, Maxime Mbanda, Guglielmo Palazzani, Tommaso Castello, Serafin Bordoli.

Newport Gwent Dragons: Carl Meyer; Adam Hughes, Tyler Morgan, Sam Beard, Pat Howard; Angus O'Brien, Charlie Davies; Phil Price, Rhys Buckley, Brok Harris, Cory Hill, Rynard Landman, Nick Crosswell, Ollie Griffiths, Lewis Evans (capt).

Replacements: Darran Harris, Sam Hobbs, Lloyd Fairbrother, Nic Cudd, Harrison Keddie, Dorian Jones, Adam Warren, Tom Prydie.

Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU).

Assistant referees: Eddie Hogan-O'Connell (IRFU), Matteo Liperini (FIR).

TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU).