Cardiff Blues 29 Benetton Treviso 9:CARDIFF BLUES won at home last night to move into the Magners League play-off places, but fell well short of the bonus-point triumph required to oust Leinster from second spot.
A healthy crowd watched a dire game between two sides lacking ambition and the result will please Leinster, Ulster and the Ospreys as the season run-in intensifies.
The Blues must find an extra gear before next weekend’s vital derby against the Dragons, their game in hand.
Dan Parks kicked 19 points for the hosts but couldn’t provide an attacking spark, with a penalty try and Xavier Rush surge from a maul their only other scores.
Treviso did not contribute aside from Willem de Waal kicks.
CARDIFF BLUES: Czekaj; Halfpenny, Laulala, Roberts, James; Parks, Rees; Yapp, G Williams, Filise, B Davies, Tito, Molitika, M Williams, Rush. Replacements: Hewitt for Halfpenny (12), Paterson for Molitika (54), D Jones for B Davies (57), L Williams for Rees (59); Hobbs for Yapp, Andrews for Filise, Sweeney for Parks (all 72), R Williams for G Williams (73).
BENETTON TREVISO: Maddock; Benvenuti, Galon, Sgarbi, Nitoglia; de Waal, Semenzato; Allori, Ghiraldini, Cittadini, F Minto, Bernabo, Vosawai, Zanni, Derbyshire. Replacements: Rizzo for Allori (22), Vilk for Nitoglia (51), Rouyet for Cittadini, Vermaak for Bernabo, Barbieri for Vosawai (all 57), Sbaraglini for Ghiraldini, McLean for Galon (both 59), Picone for Semenzato (73).
Referee: Neil Paterson (SRFU).
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