🔗 Share this article George Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Saints Rout Pretoria Bulls Saints winger 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 George Hendy bagged a triple as Northampton secured maximum points from their first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock secured the bonus point try inside an hour as a commanding Northampton side cut loose in the latter period. The Bulls were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the interval but a sin-binning to forward Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved decisive and they failed to register a point in the second half. International Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Saints moved to the summit of their pool on points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with the two teams on 10 points. Smith contributed 10 points in a man-of-the-match performance. The nature of this win, following a 35-27 away win at Pau last week, means last season's runners-up 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 shot at goal before the hosts took the lead when Henry Pollock broke before feeding Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the try line. But an mistake from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Bulls wing Jacobs to kick on and show blistering pace of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Saints had their second as fast passing from Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Fin Smith sent George Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the break. Saints were on top in both ball and field position and were being given a helping hand from Bulls fly-half Wolhuter who twice missed touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the away side. That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to deceive the advancing defence before sending a sweet left-footed kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second try and Saints' third score. Pretoria forward Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a trip on Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been responding to a trip momentarily before by Iyogun but the contact from the Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the match officials. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme crossed as the home team notched three scores in five frantic minutes. George Hendy completed his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an outstanding day for Northampton in the final minute. Rerun of Last Year's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the pool meet in a rerun of the previous season's final when the tournament returns in January as Northampton head to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the group phase with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th. The Pretoria Bulls, who have one point from their opening two games, 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)
Saints winger 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 George Hendy bagged a triple as Northampton secured maximum points from their first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock secured the bonus point try inside an hour as a commanding Northampton side cut loose in the latter period. The Bulls were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the interval but a sin-binning to forward Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved decisive and they failed to register a point in the second half. International Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Saints moved to the summit of their pool on points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with the two teams on 10 points. Smith contributed 10 points in a man-of-the-match performance. The nature of this win, following a 35-27 away win at Pau last week, means last season's runners-up 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 shot at goal before the hosts took the lead when Henry Pollock broke before feeding Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the try line. But an mistake from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Bulls wing Jacobs to kick on and show blistering pace of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Saints had their second as fast passing from Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Fin Smith sent George Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the break. Saints were on top in both ball and field position and were being given a helping hand from Bulls fly-half Wolhuter who twice missed touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the away side. That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to deceive the advancing defence before sending a sweet left-footed kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second try and Saints' third score. Pretoria forward Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a trip on Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been responding to a trip momentarily before by Iyogun but the contact from the Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the match officials. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme crossed as the home team notched three scores in five frantic minutes. George Hendy completed his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an outstanding day for Northampton in the final minute. Rerun of Last Year's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the pool meet in a rerun of the previous season's final when the tournament returns in January as Northampton head to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the group phase with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th. The Pretoria Bulls, who have one point from their opening two games, 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)