🔗 Share this article George Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Northampton Hammer Bulls Northampton's 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 the Saints secured a perfect ten points from their first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls. Sleightholme scored two tries and Henry Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a dominant Northampton side ran riot in the second half. The Bulls were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the break but a sin-binning to forward 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. England fly-half Fin Smith added 10 points with the boot as Saints moved to the summit of their pool on points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with the two teams on 10 points. Smith kicked 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this victory, coming after a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise last week, means last season's runners-up Northampton could not have hoped for a more ideal beginning as they look to go one better this season. Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter missed an early penalty before the hosts took the lead when Pollock broke before feeding Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the line. But an error from Sleightholme allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to kick on 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 put Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the half-time whistle. Saints were dominant in possession and territory and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the visitors. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, darting inside to deceive the onrushing defense before delivering a perfectly weighted grubber kick over the line for George Hendy to grab his second try and Saints' third. Bulls prop Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been reacting to a trip just prior by Iyogun but the incident from the Northampton substitute was ruled accidental when looked at by the match officials. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme scored as the hosts registered three scores in five frantic minutes. George Hendy wrapped up his hat-trick with twelve minutes left on the clock and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth try of an excellent afternoon for Northampton in the final minute. Rerun of Last Season's Final Next for Saints The top two teams in the group meet in a rematch of last year's final when the Investec Champions Cup returns in January as Saints travel to Bordeaux-Bègles. The Saints then conclude the group phase with a home game against the Scarlets on January 18th. The Pretoria Bulls, who have one point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol Bears 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 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 the Saints secured a perfect ten points from their first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls. Sleightholme scored two tries and Henry Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a dominant Northampton side ran riot in the second half. The Bulls were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the break but a sin-binning to forward 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. England fly-half Fin Smith added 10 points with the boot as Saints moved to the summit of their pool on points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with the two teams on 10 points. Smith kicked 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this victory, coming after a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise last week, means last season's runners-up Northampton could not have hoped for a more ideal beginning as they look to go one better this season. Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter missed an early penalty before the hosts took the lead when Pollock broke before feeding Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the line. But an error from Sleightholme allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to kick on 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 put Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the half-time whistle. Saints were dominant in possession and territory and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the visitors. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, darting inside to deceive the onrushing defense before delivering a perfectly weighted grubber kick over the line for George Hendy to grab his second try and Saints' third. Bulls prop Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been reacting to a trip just prior by Iyogun but the incident from the Northampton substitute was ruled accidental when looked at by the match officials. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme scored as the hosts registered three scores in five frantic minutes. George Hendy wrapped up his hat-trick with twelve minutes left on the clock and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth try of an excellent afternoon for Northampton in the final minute. Rerun of Last Season's Final Next for Saints The top two teams in the group meet in a rematch of last year's final when the Investec Champions Cup returns in January as Saints travel to Bordeaux-Bègles. The Saints then conclude the group phase with a home game against the Scarlets on January 18th. The Pretoria Bulls, who have one point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol Bears 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)