They had also scored the only tries of a disjointed first half, but a 90 second blitz finally saw to the spirited Italians’ efforts and took them, for a couple of hours at least, to the top of Pool 5.
It was an opening dominated by the Saints and having worked their way into the left corner with a series of penalties, Samu Manoa powered over to seize the initiative.
And it was the visitors who continued to do much of the attacking, though as they struggled to keep hold of the ball, Joe Carlisle got Treviso on the board with a simple three-pointer as the game entered a frustrating period.
Like at Welsh a week earlier though. it’s one that would end in the Saints’ favour and after a yellow card for Antonio Pavanello, Alex Waller was driven over to extend the lead.
It was to be the final score of a stuttering first half, but the Saints re-emerged firing and two tries in quick succession wrapped up the bonus point.
Birthday boy Luther Burrell played a key hand in both, first offloading beautifully to send Ben Foden in the corner and then finishing off a sweeping counter from the restart, Jamie Elliott making the searing break and Calum Clark providing the scoring pass.
Treviso would get reward for their considerable effort but Ludovico Nitoglia’s score only served to rile the Saints as the coaches emptied a star-studded bench.
A new front row of Waller-Hartley-Mercey drove out a penalty try beneath the posts and the same combination continued to cause the Italians problems, Romulo Acosta yellow carded for their scrum struggles.
Yet as Saints upped the flair and attacked with intent, Tom Stephenson’s pass was picked off by Carlisle and the fly half had enough to see off the cover from 60 metres out.
The hosts’ resurgence continued, Nitgolia just held up over the line and another effort going agonisingly close in the corner.
But it was to be the victors who finished on the front foot and with a sixth try, George Pisi darting over to stamp an emphatic scoreline on a comfortable Saints victory.
TIMELINE
10mins SAINTS Try Manoa Con Myler 0-7
19mins TRE Pen Carlisle 3-7
29mins SAINTS Miss pen Myler
34mins TRE Yellow Pavanello
35mins SAINTS Try A Waller 3-12
40mins TRE Miss pen Carlisle
HALF-TIME TREVISO 3 SAINTS 12
49mins SAINTS Try Burrell Con Myler 3-26
57mins TRE Try Nitoglia Con Carlisle 10-26
65mins SAINTS Try Penalty Con Myler 10-33
73mins TRE Try Carlisle 15-33
80mins SAINTS Try G Pisi 15-38
FULL-TIME TREVISO 15 SAINTS 38
TREVISO Hayward; Ragusi, Campagnaro, Christie, Nitoglia; Carlisle, Lucchese; Muccignat, Giazzon, Manu, Minto, Pavanello (capt), Favaro, Zanni, Budd
Reps - Kudin, Zanusso, Acosta, Fuser, Vallejos, Barbini, Morisi, Gori
SAINTS Foden; K Pisi, Stephenson, Burrell, Elliott; Myler, Dickson; A Waller, Haywood, Denman, Dickinson, Day, Clark, Dowson (c), Manoa
Reps - Hartley, E Waller, Mercey, Lawes, Wood, Fotuali’i, G Pisi, Wilson
REFEREE Peter Fitzbibbon / Leo Colgan (IRFU)
MAN OF THE MATCH Phil Dowson
