🔗 Share this article Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Northampton Hammer Pretoria Bulls Saints winger 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 Northampton made it maximum points from their first two European games with an eight-try hammering of Pretoria. Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock secured the fourth try before the hour mark as a dominant Saints team ran riot in the latter period. The visitors were still in the game with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a sin-binning to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. England fly-half Smith contributed 10 points with the boot as Northampton moved to the summit of their pool on superior points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points. Smith contributed 10 points in a man-of-the-match 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 Northampton could not have asked for a better start as they aim to go one better in this campaign. Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before the hosts opened the scoring when Pollock broke before feeding Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to race clear to the line. But an error from Sleightholme allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball slipped from his grasp in the tackle, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to kick on and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Northampton had their second as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Smith sent Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the half-time whistle. Northampton were on top in possession and territory and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with clearing penalties 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 sending a sweet grubber kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second try and Saints' third. Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a trip on Emmanuel Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been reacting 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 capitalized of having the numerical advantage to clinch the try bonus point through Henry Pollock before Alex Coles and Ollie Sleightholme scored as the home team notched three scores in five minutes. George Hendy wrapped up his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent day for Saints in the dying moments. Rerun of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the pool meet in a rerun of the previous season's final when the Investec Champions Cup resumes in the new year as Northampton head to Bordeaux. Northampton then round off the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January. The Bulls, who have one point from two matches, host 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)
Saints winger 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 Northampton made it maximum points from their first two European games with an eight-try hammering of Pretoria. Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock secured the fourth try before the hour mark as a dominant Saints team ran riot in the latter period. The visitors were still in the game with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a sin-binning to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. England fly-half Smith contributed 10 points with the boot as Northampton moved to the summit of their pool on superior points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points. Smith contributed 10 points in a man-of-the-match 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 Northampton could not have asked for a better start as they aim to go one better in this campaign. Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before the hosts opened the scoring when Pollock broke before feeding Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to race clear to the line. But an error from Sleightholme allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball slipped from his grasp in the tackle, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to kick on and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Northampton had their second as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Smith sent Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the half-time whistle. Northampton were on top in possession and territory and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with clearing penalties 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 sending a sweet grubber kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second try and Saints' third. Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a trip on Emmanuel Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been reacting 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 capitalized of having the numerical advantage to clinch the try bonus point through Henry Pollock before Alex Coles and Ollie Sleightholme scored as the home team notched three scores in five minutes. George Hendy wrapped up his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent day for Saints in the dying moments. Rerun of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the pool meet in a rerun of the previous season's final when the Investec Champions Cup resumes in the new year as Northampton head to Bordeaux. Northampton then round off the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January. The Bulls, who have one point from two matches, host 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)