🔗 Share this article George Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Northampton Rout Bulls Northampton's George 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 George Hendy scored a hat-trick as the Saints made it maximum points from their opening two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try hammering of Pretoria. Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice and Henry Pollock scored the bonus point try inside an hour as a dominant Northampton side cut loose in the latter period. The Bulls were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the break but a sin-binning to forward Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the second half. England fly-half Smith added 10 points from the tee as Saints went top of Pool Four on points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with the two teams on 10 points. Smith kicked 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this victory, following a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise last week, means last season's runners-up Saints could not have hoped for a better start as they look to go one better this season. Pretoria's number ten Kade Wolhuter failed with an early shot at goal before Saints opened the scoring when Pollock broke before feeding Sleightholme who showed his pace to race clear to the try line. But an error from Sleightholme let the Bulls back in as the ball slipped from his grasp in contact, allowing Bulls wing Stravino Jacobs to kick on and show blistering pace of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Saints had their second as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Smith put Hendy over in the corner to make it 14-5 at the half-time whistle. Northampton were on top in possession and territory and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the visitors. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, darting inside to wrong-foot the onrushing defense before sending a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second try and Northampton's third. Bulls prop Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a tripping offense on Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been responding to a trip momentarily before by the Saints player but the incident from the Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the officials. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the extra man to clinch the try bonus point through Henry Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme crossed as the hosts registered three tries in five frantic minutes. Hendy completed his triple with twelve minutes left on the clock and Kemeny walked over 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 leading pair in the pool meet in a rerun of last year's final when the Investec Champions Cup resumes in January as Northampton head to Bordeaux. Northampton then round off the group phase with a fixture at home against the Scarlets on 18 January. The Bulls, who have a single point from two matches, welcome Bristol Bears next before an away trip face 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 George 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 George Hendy scored a hat-trick as the Saints made it maximum points from their opening two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try hammering of Pretoria. Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice and Henry Pollock scored the bonus point try inside an hour as a dominant Northampton side cut loose in the latter period. The Bulls were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the break but a sin-binning to forward Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the second half. England fly-half Smith added 10 points from the tee as Saints went top of Pool Four on points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with the two teams on 10 points. Smith kicked 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this victory, following a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise last week, means last season's runners-up Saints could not have hoped for a better start as they look to go one better this season. Pretoria's number ten Kade Wolhuter failed with an early shot at goal before Saints opened the scoring when Pollock broke before feeding Sleightholme who showed his pace to race clear to the try line. But an error from Sleightholme let the Bulls back in as the ball slipped from his grasp in contact, allowing Bulls wing Stravino Jacobs to kick on and show blistering pace of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Saints had their second as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Smith put Hendy over in the corner to make it 14-5 at the half-time whistle. Northampton were on top in possession and territory and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the visitors. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, darting inside to wrong-foot the onrushing defense before sending a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second try and Northampton's third. Bulls prop Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a tripping offense on Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been responding to a trip momentarily before by the Saints player but the incident from the Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the officials. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the extra man to clinch the try bonus point through Henry Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme crossed as the hosts registered three tries in five frantic minutes. Hendy completed his triple with twelve minutes left on the clock and Kemeny walked over 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 leading pair in the pool meet in a rerun of last year's final when the Investec Champions Cup resumes in January as Northampton head to Bordeaux. Northampton then round off the group phase with a fixture at home against the Scarlets on 18 January. The Bulls, who have a single point from two matches, welcome Bristol Bears next before an away trip face 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)