At 16-3 at the break the home side were in complete control. Eli Walker had crowned his European debut with a wonder try from 30 metres and Dan Biggar took his tournament tally through 250 points as he hit the mark with three penalties and a conversion.

The gap grew four minutes into the second half as full back Richard Fussell sent Hanno Dirksen over in the corner for the first of his two tries. The Biggar conversion stretched the lead to 17 points, but the gap didn't stay like that.

Having looked down and out Benetton Treviso conjured up two tries in the space of two minutes - Fijian No 8 Mona Vosaki and full back Luke McLean crossing - cut the gap to a mere six points as the game moved into the final quarter.

Biggar's fourth penalty steadied the ship and Dirksen's second try was followed in the nick of time by Wales centre Ashley Beck's vital fourth try. Biggar hoisted his match tally to 18 points with the conversion.

Victory gave head coach Steve Tandy his first taste of success in Europe as a coach and put his side in the right mood to take the game to Leicester Tigers at Welford Road in Round 2 next weekend.