🔗 Share this article George Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Northampton Hammer Pretoria Bulls Northampton's 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 secured maximum points from their opening two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock secured the bonus point try before the hour mark as a dominant Saints team cut loose in the second half. The Bulls were within touching distance with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a yellow card to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved decisive and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. International Fin Smith added 10 points from the tee as Saints moved to the summit 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 man-of-the-match performance. The manner of this victory, following a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise previously, means last year's losing finalists Saints could not have asked for a more ideal beginning as they look to go one better this season. Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before the hosts opened the scoring when Henry Pollock broke before feeding Ollie Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to sprint away to the try line. But an mistake from Sleightholme let the Bulls back in as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Bulls wing Stravino Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show electric speed of his own to score after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Northampton had their second as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Smith sent Hendy over to make it 14-5 at the half-time whistle. Saints were on top in both ball and field position and were being aided from the opposition fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with clearing penalties to reinvite pressure onto the away side. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to deceive the advancing defence before delivering a sweet grubber kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second and Saints' third. Bulls prop Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Emmanuel Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been reacting to a trip just prior by the Saints player but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when looked at by the match officials. Saints seized the opportunity of having the extra man to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme scored as the hosts registered three tries in five minutes. Hendy completed his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent afternoon for Saints in the final minute. Rerun of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the pool will face off in a rematch of last year's final when the tournament returns in January as Saints head to Bordeaux. The Saints then round off the pool stage with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th. The Bulls, who have a single point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol Bears in their next outing 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)
Northampton's 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 secured maximum points from their opening two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock secured the bonus point try before the hour mark as a dominant Saints team cut loose in the second half. The Bulls were within touching distance with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a yellow card to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved decisive and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. International Fin Smith added 10 points from the tee as Saints moved to the summit 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 man-of-the-match performance. The manner of this victory, following a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise previously, means last year's losing finalists Saints could not have asked for a more ideal beginning as they look to go one better this season. Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before the hosts opened the scoring when Henry Pollock broke before feeding Ollie Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to sprint away to the try line. But an mistake from Sleightholme let the Bulls back in as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Bulls wing Stravino Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show electric speed of his own to score after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Northampton had their second as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Smith sent Hendy over to make it 14-5 at the half-time whistle. Saints were on top in both ball and field position and were being aided from the opposition fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with clearing penalties to reinvite pressure onto the away side. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to deceive the advancing defence before delivering a sweet grubber kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second and Saints' third. Bulls prop Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Emmanuel Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been reacting to a trip just prior by the Saints player but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when looked at by the match officials. Saints seized the opportunity of having the extra man to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme scored as the hosts registered three tries in five minutes. Hendy completed his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent afternoon for Saints in the final minute. Rerun of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the pool will face off in a rematch of last year's final when the tournament returns in January as Saints head to Bordeaux. The Saints then round off the pool stage with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th. The Bulls, who have a single point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol Bears in their next outing 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)