Pau dashed the Welsh region’s slim hopes of qualifying for the last eight by beating Leicester Tigers and so the Blues had to be content with an eighth successive win over Calvisano, which was never in doubt.

Scrum-half Lewis Jones led the try bonanza with a hat-trick and there was a brace for replacement Lloyd Williams, plus one each for hooker Ethan Lewis, wing Aled Summerhill, flankers Olly Robinson and Shane Lewis-Hughes, and replacement Will Boyde. Jason Tovey landed six conversions and Ben Thomas one.

The Welsh region made a stunning start, with Jones touching down for his first after only two minutes and providing Tovey with a simple conversion.

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— Cardiff Blues (@cardiff_blues) January 18, 2020

The Italian club, who had lost all 17 of their away games in the Challenge Cup, hit back with Nicolo Casilio’s fifth minute penalty, but that was their only score of the game.

Jones and Tovey combined again to put Cardiff 14-3 ahead in the 10th minute, before Lewis, Summerhill and Robinson crossed for further converted tries to seal the try bonus point and give Cardiff a 35-3 interval lead.

The Blues were quickly off the mark in the second half, with Lewis-Hughes charging over within a minute for a try that Tovey goaled via a post.

Tovey finally missed a conversion when Williams stormed over in the corner five minutes later and Calvisano held out until a late burst from Cardiff brought three tries in the last seven minutes for Boyde, Jones and Williams.

To add to Calvisano’s woe, they had wing Kayle van Zyl and replacement Michele Regonaschi red-carded in the 75th minute.