🔗 Share this article George Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Northampton Demolish 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 George Hendy bagged a triple as Northampton secured maximum points from their opening two European games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls. Sleightholme scored two tries and Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a commanding Northampton side ran riot in the second half. The visitors were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the break but a yellow card to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. International Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton went top of Pool Four on points difference from holders Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Smith kicked 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this win, following a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise last week, means last year's losing finalists Saints could not have asked for a better start as they aim to improve on that this season. Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before Saints opened the scoring when Pollock made a break before feeding Ollie Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the try line. But an mistake from Sleightholme allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show electric speed of his own to score after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Saints had their second as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith sent Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the break. Saints were dominant in possession and territory and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the visitors. That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, darting inside to deceive the onrushing defense before sending a sweet grubber kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second try and Northampton's third score. Bulls prop Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a tripping offense on Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been reacting to a trip just prior by the Saints player but the contact from the Northampton substitute was ruled accidental when reviewed by the match officials. Northampton capitalized of having the numerical advantage to clinch the bonus point through Henry Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme scored as the hosts notched three scores in five minutes. George Hendy completed his hat-trick with twelve minutes left on the clock and Josh Kemeny walked over for the eighth and final try of an excellent afternoon for Saints in the final minute. Rematch of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the group meet in a rematch of the previous season's final when the Investec Champions Cup returns in January as Saints head to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January. The Bulls, who have one point from two matches, host Bristol 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 George Hendy bagged a triple as Northampton secured maximum points from their opening two European games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls. Sleightholme scored two tries and Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a commanding Northampton side ran riot in the second half. The visitors were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the break but a yellow card to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. International Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton went top of Pool Four on points difference from holders Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Smith kicked 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this win, following a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise last week, means last year's losing finalists Saints could not have asked for a better start as they aim to improve on that this season. Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before Saints opened the scoring when Pollock made a break before feeding Ollie Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the try line. But an mistake from Sleightholme allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show electric speed of his own to score after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Saints had their second as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith sent Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the break. Saints were dominant in possession and territory and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the visitors. That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, darting inside to deceive the onrushing defense before sending a sweet grubber kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second try and Northampton's third score. Bulls prop Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a tripping offense on Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been reacting to a trip just prior by the Saints player but the contact from the Northampton substitute was ruled accidental when reviewed by the match officials. Northampton capitalized of having the numerical advantage to clinch the bonus point through Henry Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme scored as the hosts notched three scores in five minutes. George Hendy completed his hat-trick with twelve minutes left on the clock and Josh Kemeny walked over for the eighth and final try of an excellent afternoon for Saints in the final minute. Rematch of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the group meet in a rematch of the previous season's final when the Investec Champions Cup returns in January as Saints head to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January. The Bulls, who have one point from two matches, host Bristol 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)