🔗 Share this article George Hendy Hat-Trick 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 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. Ollie Sleightholme scored two tries and Henry Pollock secured the bonus point try before the hour mark as a commanding Saints team ran riot in the second half. The Bulls were within touching distance with the score fourteen-five at the break but a sin-binning to forward Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved decisive and they did not score a point in the second half. International Smith added 10 points with the boot as Northampton moved to the summit of their pool on points difference from defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles 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 victory on the road at Pau last week, means last year's losing finalists Northampton could not have asked for a better start as they aim to improve on that this season. Bulls fly-half Wolhuter failed with an early shot at goal before Saints took the lead when Pollock broke 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 the tackle, allowing Bulls wing Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Northampton had their second try as fast passing from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith sent Hendy over to make it 14-5 at the break. Northampton were on top in possession and territory and were being given a helping hand from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the visitors. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the creator, stepping inside to deceive the onrushing defense before delivering a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for George Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third score. Pretoria forward Alulutho Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a tripping offense on Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been reacting to a trip momentarily before by the Saints player but the incident from the Northampton substitute was ruled accidental when looked at by the match officials. Saints capitalized of having the numerical advantage to secure the bonus point through Henry Pollock before Alex Coles and Ollie Sleightholme scored as the home team notched three scores in five frantic minutes. George Hendy completed his hat-trick with twelve minutes left on the clock and Josh 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 Next for Saints The top two teams in the pool will face off in a rerun of the previous season's final when the tournament returns in the new year as Saints head to Bordeaux-Bègles. The Saints then conclude the group phase with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th. The Bulls, who have one point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol Bears in their next outing 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 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. Ollie Sleightholme scored two tries and Henry Pollock secured the bonus point try before the hour mark as a commanding Saints team ran riot in the second half. The Bulls were within touching distance with the score fourteen-five at the break but a sin-binning to forward Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved decisive and they did not score a point in the second half. International Smith added 10 points with the boot as Northampton moved to the summit of their pool on points difference from defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles 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 victory on the road at Pau last week, means last year's losing finalists Northampton could not have asked for a better start as they aim to improve on that this season. Bulls fly-half Wolhuter failed with an early shot at goal before Saints took the lead when Pollock broke 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 the tackle, allowing Bulls wing Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Northampton had their second try as fast passing from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith sent Hendy over to make it 14-5 at the break. Northampton were on top in possession and territory and were being given a helping hand from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the visitors. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the creator, stepping inside to deceive the onrushing defense before delivering a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for George Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third score. Pretoria forward Alulutho Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a tripping offense on Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been reacting to a trip momentarily before by the Saints player but the incident from the Northampton substitute was ruled accidental when looked at by the match officials. Saints capitalized of having the numerical advantage to secure the bonus point through Henry Pollock before Alex Coles and Ollie Sleightholme scored as the home team notched three scores in five frantic minutes. George Hendy completed his hat-trick with twelve minutes left on the clock and Josh 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 Next for Saints The top two teams in the pool will face off in a rerun of the previous season's final when the tournament returns in the new year as Saints head to Bordeaux-Bègles. The Saints then conclude the group phase with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th. The Bulls, who have one point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol Bears in their next outing 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)