🔗 Share this article Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Northampton Demolish Bulls Northampton's George 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 secured a perfect ten points from their first two European games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock secured the bonus point try inside an hour as a commanding Saints team ran riot in the latter period. The visitors were within touching distance with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a sin-binning to forward Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved decisive and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. England fly-half Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton went top of Pool Four on points difference from defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles with the two teams on 10 points. Fin Smith contributed 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this victory, coming after a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise previously, means last season's runners-up Saints could not have hoped for a more ideal beginning as they look to go one better this season. Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before the hosts took the lead when Pollock broke before feeding Ollie Sleightholme who showed his pace to race clear to the try line. But an mistake 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 reply after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Northampton had their second try as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith sent George Hendy over in the corner to make it fourteen to five at the half-time whistle. Northampton were dominant in both ball and field position and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to reinvite pressure onto the away side. That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the creator, stepping inside to deceive the onrushing defense before sending a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for George Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third. Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a tripping offense on Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been reacting to a trip momentarily before by the Saints player but the contact from the Northampton substitute was ruled accidental when looked at by the officials. Saints seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to clinch the bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme scored as the home team notched three tries in five minutes. Hendy wrapped up his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Josh Kemeny walked over for the eighth try of an outstanding day for Northampton in the dying moments. Rerun of Last Year's Final Next for Saints The leading pair in the group meet in a rerun of the previous season's final when the tournament resumes in the new year as Saints head to Bordeaux. The Saints then conclude the pool stage with a fixture at home against Scarlets on 18 January. The Bulls, who have a single point from two matches, welcome Bristol in their next outing 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)
Northampton's George 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 secured a perfect ten points from their first two European games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock secured the bonus point try inside an hour as a commanding Saints team ran riot in the latter period. The visitors were within touching distance with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a sin-binning to forward Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved decisive and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. England fly-half Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton went top of Pool Four on points difference from defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles with the two teams on 10 points. Fin Smith contributed 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this victory, coming after a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise previously, means last season's runners-up Saints could not have hoped for a more ideal beginning as they look to go one better this season. Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before the hosts took the lead when Pollock broke before feeding Ollie Sleightholme who showed his pace to race clear to the try line. But an mistake 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 reply after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Northampton had their second try as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith sent George Hendy over in the corner to make it fourteen to five at the half-time whistle. Northampton were dominant in both ball and field position and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to reinvite pressure onto the away side. That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the creator, stepping inside to deceive the onrushing defense before sending a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for George Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third. Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a tripping offense on Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been reacting to a trip momentarily before by the Saints player but the contact from the Northampton substitute was ruled accidental when looked at by the officials. Saints seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to clinch the bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme scored as the home team notched three tries in five minutes. Hendy wrapped up his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Josh Kemeny walked over for the eighth try of an outstanding day for Northampton in the dying moments. Rerun of Last Year's Final Next for Saints The leading pair in the group meet in a rerun of the previous season's final when the tournament resumes in the new year as Saints head to Bordeaux. The Saints then conclude the pool stage with a fixture at home against Scarlets on 18 January. The Bulls, who have a single point from two matches, welcome Bristol in their next outing 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)