🔗 Share this article George Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Saints Hammer Bulls Northampton's 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 bagged a triple as the Saints made it a perfect ten points from their first two European games with an eight-try hammering of Pretoria. Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a commanding Northampton side cut loose in the second half. The visitors were still in the game with the score fourteen-five at the break but a yellow card to forward Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the second half. International Fin Smith added 10 points with the boot as Northampton moved to the summit of their pool on superior points difference from defending champions Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Smith contributed 10 points in a man-of-the-match performance. The nature of this win, following a 35-27 victory on the road at Pau last week, means last season's runners-up Saints could not have hoped for a better start as they look to improve on that this season. Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter missed an early penalty before Saints took the lead when Pollock broke before passing to Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed 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 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 Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Fin Smith put Hendy over 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 Kade Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the away side. That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, stepping inside to deceive the onrushing defense before delivering a sweet left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second try and Saints' third score. Pretoria forward Alulutho Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been reacting to a trip just prior by Iyogun but the contact from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the match officials. Saints seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to clinch the try bonus point through Henry Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme scored as the hosts registered three scores in five minutes. Hendy completed his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny walked over for the eighth and final try of an excellent afternoon for Northampton in the dying moments. Rerun of Last Season's Final Next for Saints The top two teams in the group will face off in a rerun of last year's final when the tournament resumes in January as Saints travel 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 one point from two matches, host Bristol Bears next before traveling to 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 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 bagged a triple as the Saints made it a perfect ten points from their first two European games with an eight-try hammering of Pretoria. Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a commanding Northampton side cut loose in the second half. The visitors were still in the game with the score fourteen-five at the break but a yellow card to forward Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the second half. International Fin Smith added 10 points with the boot as Northampton moved to the summit of their pool on superior points difference from defending champions Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Smith contributed 10 points in a man-of-the-match performance. The nature of this win, following a 35-27 victory on the road at Pau last week, means last season's runners-up Saints could not have hoped for a better start as they look to improve on that this season. Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter missed an early penalty before Saints took the lead when Pollock broke before passing to Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed 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 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 Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Fin Smith put Hendy over 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 Kade Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the away side. That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, stepping inside to deceive the onrushing defense before delivering a sweet left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second try and Saints' third score. Pretoria forward Alulutho Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been reacting to a trip just prior by Iyogun but the contact from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the match officials. Saints seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to clinch the try bonus point through Henry Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme scored as the hosts registered three scores in five minutes. Hendy completed his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny walked over for the eighth and final try of an excellent afternoon for Northampton in the dying moments. Rerun of Last Season's Final Next for Saints The top two teams in the group will face off in a rerun of last year's final when the tournament resumes in January as Saints travel 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 one point from two matches, host Bristol Bears next before traveling to 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)