FRASER WATERS was man of the match in the Heineken Cup final two years ago. He was the leading hitman in the Wasps defence that blitzed Leicester in that Twickenham final. Perhaps it was asking too much of the South African-born centre, capped three times by England, to shore-up Benetton Treviso’s defence in his first season with the Italian club — especially against a rampant Leicester.

Treviso looked like cyclists in their fluorescent green shirts, and spent most of the game backpedalling. The bonus point was never in doubt as Martin Corry’s men ran in nine tries, consigning Treviso to their 10th consecutive home defeat in this competition. It would be asking too much of Waters to sort out his new team’s front-row problems, which were the root cause of their malaise.

Marcos Ayerza, Leicester’s Argentinian Test prop, has destroyed many an opponent in the Guinness Premiership and he and Julian White were too strong for the Italians in the scrum. No 8 Jordan Crane got two tries, but had his front row muckers to thank.

Apart from a penalty try, for which Ayerza can also claim credit as he shunted Treviso over their own line, it was the Leicester backs who added the icing to such forward domination, with Johne Murphy claiming a second-half hat-trick. Treviso helped by playing the last 20 minutes with 14 men.

Dion Kingi was sent to the sin-bin on the hour when Romain Poite, the French referee, finally lost patience with Treviso’s infringements at the breakdown. His captain, Benjamin De Jager, was lucky not to be shown red after headbutting Marco Wentzel two minutes after Kingi returned to the fray. Wentzel enjoyed a profitable afternoon against his old club, playing more like a back row than the No 4 on his back might suggest.

Toby Flood scored Leicester’s first and third tries before the home side scored their only touchdown. Waters set the play in motion, freeing Marius Goosen, whose kick ahead sat up for De Jager to gather and score. Andrea Marcato kicked the touchline conversion to add to his three penalties, and Treviso had clawed their way back to within a point of the Tigers.

That only gave Leicester the kick up the backside they needed. A lovely sidestep by Aaron Mauger created space for Johne Murphy to skip over in the corner for his first touchdown, then Geordan Murphy spun over in the opposite corner after Tom Croft’s charge.

Leicester showed no mercy. Next came the penalty try, Crane and Johne Murphy both scored their second tries, before Geordan Murphy skipped through the middle and passed to Johne Murphy when he could have scored himself.

Star man: Geordan Murphy (Leicester)

Referee: R Poite (France)

Scorers: Treviso: Try: De Jager 49 Con: Marcato. Pens: Marcato (3)

Leicester: Tries: Flood 14, 35, Crane 20, 73, J Murphy 53, 77, 79, G Murphy 58, pen try. Cons: Flood 3, Hougaard 3. Pen: Flood

Yellow cards: Treviso: Kingi (60min), De Jager (72min)

TREVISO: B Williams (E Mulieri 69min); A Vilk, B De Jager (capt), F Waters, M Goosen; A Marcato, S Picone (T Botes 10min); A Allori, F Sbaraglini (D Vidal 33min), S Costanzo, A Pavanello (E Pavanello 59min), C Van Zyl, S Orlando (M Gilbride 37min), D Kingi, H Louw

LEICESTER: G Murphy; J Murphy, D Hipkiss (S Rabeni 59min), A Mauger, M Smith; T Flood (D Hougaard 64min), H Ellis (J Dupuy 60min); M Ayerza, B Kayser (G Chuter 52min), J White (D Cole 55min), M Wentzel, B Kay (R Blaze), M Corry (capt, B Deacon 63min), J Crane, T Croft