Wasps ease past Italians

Wasps demolished Treviso 55-0 at the Causeway Stadium.

London Wasps ran in nine tries during a 55-0 demolition of Benetton Treviso in Pool One of the Heineken Cup.

Josh Lewsey, Tom Rees and Tom Voyce all contributed a brace at the Causeway Stadium, while there was one try each for Raphael Ibanez, Paul Sackey and Danny Cipriani.

The 2004 champions entered the match needing a heavy win to enhance their hopes of making it out of a tight Pool, that also includes French sides Castres and Perpignan.

They were more than up to the task, producing some incisive rugby from the start, with 19-year-old centre Dominic Waldouck earning the man-of-the-match award with an inventive display on debut.

Wasps secured the four-try bonus point within the opening half-hour as the visitors paid the price for some weak tackling.

French hooker Ibanez crashed over for the opener in the third minute, before Waldouck took centre stage.

He chipped ahead to create a try for midfield partner Lewsey, and then Rees went in under the posts following some slick handling from the teenager.

Lewsey secured the bonus point on the half-hour with his second but then limped off due to a calf injury, replaced by England Under 19 star Cipriani.

Winger Voyce added the fifth try, three of which were converted by Mark van Gisbergen for a 31-0 half-time lead.

It was more one-way traffic after the break, England winger Sackey going 70 metres on his own for a 42nd-minute try.

Rees and Voyce both added their second tries - the openside flanker producing a pacy burst that carried him to the line from 50 metres out.

Waldouck rounded off proceedings by sending in Cipriani for the ninth try in the 70th minute.

The result keeps Wasps' hopes of making the knockout stage alive, with Castres' 36-28 win over Perpignan on Saturday also working out in their favour.

Ian McGeechan's men travel to Italy next Saturday [Dec16] for the return against Treviso where another bonus-point win will leave them needing victories during their January fixtures against the two French sides to be sure of progressing.