🔗 Share this article George Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Northampton Hammer Bulls Saints winger Hendy also 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 scored a hat-trick as Northampton secured a perfect ten points from their opening two European games with an eight-try thrashing of the Bulls. Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock scored the bonus point try before the hour mark as a commanding Northampton side cut loose in the latter period. The visitors were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the break but a sin-binning to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved decisive and they failed to register a point in the final forty minutes. England fly-half Smith added 10 points from the tee as Saints went top of their pool on superior points difference from defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points. Fin Smith contributed 10 points in a man-of-the-match performance. The nature of this win, coming after a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise previously, means last season's runners-up Northampton could not have asked for a more ideal beginning as they look to improve on that this season. Bulls fly-half Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before Saints took the lead when Henry Pollock broke before passing to Ollie Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the try line. But an error from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball slipped from his grasp in the tackle, allowing Pretoria winger Stravino Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Northampton had their second as fast passing from Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Fin Smith put George Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the break. Northampton were on top in both ball and field position and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the visitors. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, stepping inside to wrong-foot the advancing defence before delivering a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second and Northampton's third. Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a tripping offense on Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been reacting to a trip momentarily before by the Saints player but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled accidental when looked at by the match officials. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the extra man to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme scored as the hosts notched three scores in five frantic minutes. Hendy wrapped up his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent day for Saints in the final minute. Rerun of Last Season's Final Next for Saints The leading pair in the pool will face off in a rerun of the previous season's final when the tournament resumes in January as Saints head to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the group phase with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th. The Bulls, who have one point from two matches, host 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 Hendy also 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 scored a hat-trick as Northampton secured a perfect ten points from their opening two European games with an eight-try thrashing of the Bulls. Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock scored the bonus point try before the hour mark as a commanding Northampton side cut loose in the latter period. The visitors were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the break but a sin-binning to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved decisive and they failed to register a point in the final forty minutes. England fly-half Smith added 10 points from the tee as Saints went top of their pool on superior points difference from defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points. Fin Smith contributed 10 points in a man-of-the-match performance. The nature of this win, coming after a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise previously, means last season's runners-up Northampton could not have asked for a more ideal beginning as they look to improve on that this season. Bulls fly-half Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before Saints took the lead when Henry Pollock broke before passing to Ollie Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the try line. But an error from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball slipped from his grasp in the tackle, allowing Pretoria winger Stravino Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Northampton had their second as fast passing from Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Fin Smith put George Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the break. Northampton were on top in both ball and field position and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the visitors. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, stepping inside to wrong-foot the advancing defence before delivering a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second and Northampton's third. Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a tripping offense on Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been reacting to a trip momentarily before by the Saints player but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled accidental when looked at by the match officials. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the extra man to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme scored as the hosts notched three scores in five frantic minutes. Hendy wrapped up his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent day for Saints in the final minute. Rerun of Last Season's Final Next for Saints The leading pair in the pool will face off in a rerun of the previous season's final when the tournament resumes in January as Saints head to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the group phase with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th. The Bulls, who have one point from two matches, host 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)