🔗 Share this article George Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Saints Demolish Bulls Northampton's Hendy previously scored a try in the previous win against Pau. Investec Champions Cup Pool Four Northampton Saints (14) 50 Tries: Sleightholme 2, Hendy 3, Pollock, Coles, Kemeny Cons: Smith 5 Pretoria Bulls (5) 5 Tries: Jacobs The young winger scored a hat-trick as Northampton secured a perfect ten points from their first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Sleightholme crossed twice and Henry Pollock secured the fourth try inside an hour as a commanding Saints team cut loose in the second half. The Bulls were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the interval but a yellow card to forward Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. International Fin Smith added 10 points with the boot as Northampton went top of their pool on points difference from defending champions Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Smith kicked 10 points in a man-of-the-match performance. The manner of this victory, coming after a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise previously, means last year's losing finalists Northampton could not have asked for a better start as they look to go one better this season. Bulls fly-half Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before the hosts took the lead when Henry Pollock made a break before feeding Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to race clear to the line. But an error from the winger allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show electric speed of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Northampton had their second try as fast passing from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith put Hendy over to make it 14-5 at the break. Northampton were dominant in both ball and field position and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the away side. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to deceive the onrushing defense before delivering a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second try and Northampton's third. Bulls prop Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a trip on Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been reacting to a trip just prior by the Saints player but the incident from the Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the match officials. Saints capitalized of having the numerical advantage to clinch the try bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme crossed as the home team notched three scores in five minutes. George Hendy wrapped up his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an outstanding afternoon for Northampton in the dying moments. Rematch of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints The top two teams in the group will face off in a rematch of last year's final when the Investec Champions Cup resumes in the new year as Northampton head to Bordeaux-Bègles. Northampton then round off the pool stage with a home game against the Scarlets on January 18th. The Pretoria Bulls, who have a single point from two matches, host Bristol Bears next before traveling to Pau. Line-ups Northampton: Furbank; Sleightholme, Hutchinson, Dingwall, Hendy; F Smith, Mitchell; Fischetti, Wright, Davison, Coles, Van der Mescht, Kemeny, Pearson, Pollock Replacements: R Smith, Iyogun, Kundiona, Munga, Prowse, Graham, James, Thame Bulls: Williams; Petersen, Gans, Vorster, Jacobs; Wolhuter, Burger; Tshakweni, Van der Merwe, Smith, Wiese, Van Heerden, Coetzee, Ludwig, Louw Replacements: Else, Sithole, Mchunu, Gumede, Carr, Papier, Johannes, Van Niekerk Yellow card: Tshakweni (53) Match Officials Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco) Assistant referees: Rob McDowell (Sco) and Dave Sutherland (Sco) TMO: Mike Adamson (Sco)
Northampton's Hendy previously scored a try in the previous win against Pau. Investec Champions Cup Pool Four Northampton Saints (14) 50 Tries: Sleightholme 2, Hendy 3, Pollock, Coles, Kemeny Cons: Smith 5 Pretoria Bulls (5) 5 Tries: Jacobs The young winger scored a hat-trick as Northampton secured a perfect ten points from their first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Sleightholme crossed twice and Henry Pollock secured the fourth try inside an hour as a commanding Saints team cut loose in the second half. The Bulls were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the interval but a yellow card to forward Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. International Fin Smith added 10 points with the boot as Northampton went top of their pool on points difference from defending champions Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Smith kicked 10 points in a man-of-the-match performance. The manner of this victory, coming after a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise previously, means last year's losing finalists Northampton could not have asked for a better start as they look to go one better this season. Bulls fly-half Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before the hosts took the lead when Henry Pollock made a break before feeding Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to race clear to the line. But an error from the winger allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show electric speed of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Northampton had their second try as fast passing from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith put Hendy over to make it 14-5 at the break. Northampton were dominant in both ball and field position and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the away side. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to deceive the onrushing defense before delivering a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second try and Northampton's third. Bulls prop Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a trip on Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been reacting to a trip just prior by the Saints player but the incident from the Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the match officials. Saints capitalized of having the numerical advantage to clinch the try bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme crossed as the home team notched three scores in five minutes. George Hendy wrapped up his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an outstanding afternoon for Northampton in the dying moments. Rematch of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints The top two teams in the group will face off in a rematch of last year's final when the Investec Champions Cup resumes in the new year as Northampton head to Bordeaux-Bègles. Northampton then round off the pool stage with a home game against the Scarlets on January 18th. The Pretoria Bulls, who have a single point from two matches, host Bristol Bears next before traveling to Pau. Line-ups Northampton: Furbank; Sleightholme, Hutchinson, Dingwall, Hendy; F Smith, Mitchell; Fischetti, Wright, Davison, Coles, Van der Mescht, Kemeny, Pearson, Pollock Replacements: R Smith, Iyogun, Kundiona, Munga, Prowse, Graham, James, Thame Bulls: Williams; Petersen, Gans, Vorster, Jacobs; Wolhuter, Burger; Tshakweni, Van der Merwe, Smith, Wiese, Van Heerden, Coetzee, Ludwig, Louw Replacements: Else, Sithole, Mchunu, Gumede, Carr, Papier, Johannes, Van Niekerk Yellow card: Tshakweni (53) Match Officials Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco) Assistant referees: Rob McDowell (Sco) and Dave Sutherland (Sco) TMO: Mike Adamson (Sco)