🔗 Share this article Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Northampton Demolish Pretoria Bulls Saints winger George Hendy also 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 The young winger bagged a triple as the Saints secured maximum points from their opening two European games with an eight-try hammering of Pretoria. Sleightholme scored two tries and Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a commanding Northampton side ran riot in the latter period. The visitors were within touching distance with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a yellow card to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved decisive and they did not score a point in the second half. International Fin Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Saints moved to the summit of their pool on superior points difference from defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points. Fin 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 Northampton could not have hoped for a better start as they look to improve on that in this campaign. Bulls fly-half Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before the hosts opened the scoring when Pollock broke before passing to Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the try line. But an mistake from the winger allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball slipped from his grasp in the tackle, allowing Bulls wing Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Northampton had their second as fast passing from Mitchell at the ruck base and then Smith sent George Hendy over in the corner to make it 14-5 at the half-time whistle. Saints were on top in both ball and field position and were being given a helping hand from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to bring the pressure back on the visitors. That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the architect, darting inside to deceive the advancing defence before sending a perfectly weighted grubber kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second try and Northampton's third score. Pretoria forward Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been responding to a trip just prior by Iyogun but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled accidental when reviewed by the officials. Northampton capitalized of having the numerical advantage to clinch the bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme scored as the home team registered three scores in five minutes. George Hendy wrapped up his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth try of an excellent afternoon for Northampton in the dying moments. Rematch of Last Year's Final Awaits Saints The top two teams in the pool meet in a rematch of the previous season's final when the tournament returns in January as Northampton head to Bordeaux-Bègles. The Saints then round off the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January. The Bulls, who have one point from two matches, welcome Bristol next before an away trip 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 also 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 The young winger bagged a triple as the Saints secured maximum points from their opening two European games with an eight-try hammering of Pretoria. Sleightholme scored two tries and Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a commanding Northampton side ran riot in the latter period. The visitors were within touching distance with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a yellow card to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved decisive and they did not score a point in the second half. International Fin Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Saints moved to the summit of their pool on superior points difference from defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points. Fin 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 Northampton could not have hoped for a better start as they look to improve on that in this campaign. Bulls fly-half Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before the hosts opened the scoring when Pollock broke before passing to Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the try line. But an mistake from the winger allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball slipped from his grasp in the tackle, allowing Bulls wing Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Northampton had their second as fast passing from Mitchell at the ruck base and then Smith sent George Hendy over in the corner to make it 14-5 at the half-time whistle. Saints were on top in both ball and field position and were being given a helping hand from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to bring the pressure back on the visitors. That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the architect, darting inside to deceive the advancing defence before sending a perfectly weighted grubber kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second try and Northampton's third score. Pretoria forward Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been responding to a trip just prior by Iyogun but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled accidental when reviewed by the officials. Northampton capitalized of having the numerical advantage to clinch the bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme scored as the home team registered three scores in five minutes. George Hendy wrapped up his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth try of an excellent afternoon for Northampton in the dying moments. Rematch of Last Year's Final Awaits Saints The top two teams in the pool meet in a rematch of the previous season's final when the tournament returns in January as Northampton head to Bordeaux-Bègles. The Saints then round off the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January. The Bulls, who have one point from two matches, welcome Bristol next before an away trip 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)