RaboDirect PRO12: Cardiff Blues earn hard-fought win over Treviso

Sam Hobbs: scored the winning try for the Blues

The Blues secured a third league victory of the season as they ground out a positive result in appalling conditions in South Wales.

Tries from Kristian Dacey and Sam Hobbs earned the points for Cardiff who were without nine of their Welsh internationals.

Michele Campagnaro notched Treviso's only try of the match as the Blues held on to secure four much-needed points.

Kicking proved difficult as the wind swirled around the Arms Park pitch but fly-half Gareth Davies gave the much-changed Cardiff Blues side the lead with an early penalty.

Treviso, boasting 10 international compared to Cardiff's six, struggled to threaten the home side in the opening stages and it was the Blues who scored the game's first try.

Crashed over

Hooker Dacey crashed his way over the try-line with a quarter of the game played, with Davies converting to put the Blues 10 points in front.

The try sparked the Italians into a response and they notched their first points of the afternoon through the boot of Matt Berquist.

Treviso grew in confidence and they reduced the deficit with a second penalty from Berquist, before taking the lead with a stunning team try. The ball was passed through a host of hands to allow Campagnaro to touch down after some good work by Italian international Robert Barbieri.

Berquist kicked the extras as the visitors took a three-point lead into the break.

Cardiff started the second half on the front foot and they were soon back in front as prop Hobbs barged his way over the try-line after the hosts had been camped in Treviso's 22.

Davies added the conversion to extend Cardiff's lead to four points after 54 minutes as the rain continued to pour down in South Wales.

Both sides made a host of changes as they looked to seize the advantage, but Cardiff's youngsters controlled the remaining quarter of the game to secure a hard-fought win over the Italian strugglers.