🔗 Share this article George Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Northampton Rout Bulls Saints winger Hendy previously scored a try in last week's 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 the Saints made it maximum points from their opening two European games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Ollie Sleightholme scored two tries and Pollock secured the fourth try before the hour mark as a dominant Northampton side ran riot in the second half. The Bulls were still in the game with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a yellow card to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved decisive and they failed to register a point in the second half. England fly-half Smith added 10 points with the boot as Saints went top of their pool on superior points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points. Smith kicked 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this win, 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 more ideal beginning as they aim to improve on that in this campaign. Pretoria's number ten Kade Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before Saints took the lead when Pollock broke before passing to 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 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. Shortly after, Northampton had their second try as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Fin Smith sent Hendy over in the corner to make it 14-5 at the break. Saints were on top in possession and territory and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the visitors. That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to wrong-foot the advancing defence before delivering a perfectly weighted grubber kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second try and Northampton's third. Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a trip on Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been responding to a trip just prior by the Saints player but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled accidental when looked at by the officials. Saints capitalized of having the extra man to clinch the try bonus point through Henry Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme crossed as the home team registered three scores in five frantic minutes. George Hendy completed his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Josh Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent day for Saints in the final minute. Rematch of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the group will face off in a rerun of the previous season's final when the tournament returns in the new year as Saints travel to Bordeaux. Northampton then round off the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on January 18th. The Pretoria Bulls, who have a single point from their opening two games, welcome 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)
Saints winger Hendy previously scored a try in last week's 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 the Saints made it maximum points from their opening two European games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Ollie Sleightholme scored two tries and Pollock secured the fourth try before the hour mark as a dominant Northampton side ran riot in the second half. The Bulls were still in the game with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a yellow card to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved decisive and they failed to register a point in the second half. England fly-half Smith added 10 points with the boot as Saints went top of their pool on superior points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points. Smith kicked 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this win, 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 more ideal beginning as they aim to improve on that in this campaign. Pretoria's number ten Kade Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before Saints took the lead when Pollock broke before passing to 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 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. Shortly after, Northampton had their second try as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Fin Smith sent Hendy over in the corner to make it 14-5 at the break. Saints were on top in possession and territory and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the visitors. That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to wrong-foot the advancing defence before delivering a perfectly weighted grubber kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second try and Northampton's third. Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a trip on Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been responding to a trip just prior by the Saints player but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled accidental when looked at by the officials. Saints capitalized of having the extra man to clinch the try bonus point through Henry Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme crossed as the home team registered three scores in five frantic minutes. George Hendy completed his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Josh Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent day for Saints in the final minute. Rematch of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the group will face off in a rerun of the previous season's final when the tournament returns in the new year as Saints travel to Bordeaux. Northampton then round off the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on January 18th. The Pretoria Bulls, who have a single point from their opening two games, welcome 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)