🔗 Share this article 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 George Hendy bagged a triple as the Saints made it a perfect ten points from their first two European games with an eight-try thrashing of the Bulls. Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a commanding Saints team cut loose in the latter period. The Bulls were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the interval but a yellow card to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved very costly and they failed to register a point in the second half. England fly-half Fin Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton went top of their pool on points difference from defending champions Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Fin Smith kicked 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this win, coming after a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise previously, means last year's losing finalists Saints could not have hoped for a more ideal beginning as they aim to go one better this season. Bulls fly-half Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before Saints opened the scoring when Pollock made a break before passing to Ollie Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the try line. But an error from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Bulls wing Jacobs to kick on and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Northampton had their second try as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Fin Smith put George Hendy over in the corner to make it 14-5 at the half-time whistle. Northampton were dominant in both ball and field position and were being aided from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to bring the pressure back on the visitors. That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to deceive the advancing defence before sending a sweet grubber kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second try and Northampton's third score. Bulls prop Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a trip on Emmanuel 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. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to clinch the try bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme scored as the hosts notched three tries in five minutes. Hendy wrapped up his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Josh Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent afternoon for Saints in the dying moments. Rerun of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the pool will face off in a rematch of last year's final when the tournament returns in January as Northampton head to Bordeaux. 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 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 George Hendy bagged a triple as the Saints made it a perfect ten points from their first two European games with an eight-try thrashing of the Bulls. Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a commanding Saints team cut loose in the latter period. The Bulls were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the interval but a yellow card to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved very costly and they failed to register a point in the second half. England fly-half Fin Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton went top of their pool on points difference from defending champions Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Fin Smith kicked 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this win, coming after a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise previously, means last year's losing finalists Saints could not have hoped for a more ideal beginning as they aim to go one better this season. Bulls fly-half Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before Saints opened the scoring when Pollock made a break before passing to Ollie Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the try line. But an error from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Bulls wing Jacobs to kick on and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Northampton had their second try as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Fin Smith put George Hendy over in the corner to make it 14-5 at the half-time whistle. Northampton were dominant in both ball and field position and were being aided from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to bring the pressure back on the visitors. That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to deceive the advancing defence before sending a sweet grubber kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second try and Northampton's third score. Bulls prop Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a trip on Emmanuel 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. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to clinch the try bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme scored as the hosts notched three tries in five minutes. Hendy wrapped up his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Josh Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent afternoon for Saints in the dying moments. Rerun of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the pool will face off in a rematch of last year's final when the tournament returns in January as Northampton head to Bordeaux. 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 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)