🔗 Share this article George Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Saints Rout Bulls Northampton's 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 Northampton made it maximum points from their opening two European games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls. Sleightholme crossed twice and Henry Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a dominant Northampton side ran riot in the second half. The visitors were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the interval but a yellow card to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they failed to register a point in the final forty minutes. International Smith contributed 10 points with the boot as Saints moved to the summit of their pool on points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points. Fin Smith contributed 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this win, coming after a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise last week, means last year's losing finalists Saints could not have hoped for a better start as they look to go one better this season. Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before Saints took the lead when Henry Pollock made a break before passing to Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to race clear 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 contact, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Saints had their second try as fast passing from Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith sent George Hendy over to make it fourteen to five 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 Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the away side. That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the creator, darting inside to deceive the advancing defence before delivering a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second and Northampton's third score. Pretoria forward Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a tripping offense on Emmanuel Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been reacting to a trip just prior by Iyogun but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the match officials. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the extra man to clinch the try bonus point through Henry Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme crossed as the hosts notched three tries in five minutes. George Hendy completed his triple with twelve minutes left on the clock and Josh Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an outstanding day for Northampton in the dying moments. Rerun of Last Season's Final Next for Saints The top two teams in the group meet in a rerun of the previous season's final when the Investec Champions Cup resumes in the new year as Saints head to Bordeaux-Bègles. Northampton then conclude the pool stage with a fixture at home against the Scarlets on 18 January. The Pretoria Bulls, who have a single point from two matches, welcome Bristol Bears next before traveling to 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 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 Northampton made it maximum points from their opening two European games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls. Sleightholme crossed twice and Henry Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a dominant Northampton side ran riot in the second half. The visitors were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the interval but a yellow card to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they failed to register a point in the final forty minutes. International Smith contributed 10 points with the boot as Saints moved to the summit of their pool on points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points. Fin Smith contributed 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this win, coming after a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise last week, means last year's losing finalists Saints could not have hoped for a better start as they look to go one better this season. Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before Saints took the lead when Henry Pollock made a break before passing to Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to race clear 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 contact, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Saints had their second try as fast passing from Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith sent George Hendy over to make it fourteen to five 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 Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the away side. That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the creator, darting inside to deceive the advancing defence before delivering a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second and Northampton's third score. Pretoria forward Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a tripping offense on Emmanuel Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been reacting to a trip just prior by Iyogun but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the match officials. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the extra man to clinch the try bonus point through Henry Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme crossed as the hosts notched three tries in five minutes. George Hendy completed his triple with twelve minutes left on the clock and Josh Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an outstanding day for Northampton in the dying moments. Rerun of Last Season's Final Next for Saints The top two teams in the group meet in a rerun of the previous season's final when the Investec Champions Cup resumes in the new year as Saints head to Bordeaux-Bègles. Northampton then conclude the pool stage with a fixture at home against the Scarlets on 18 January. The Pretoria Bulls, who have a single point from two matches, welcome Bristol Bears next before traveling to 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)