🔗 Share this article 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 first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of the Bulls. Ollie Sleightholme scored two tries and Pollock secured the fourth try inside an hour as a commanding Northampton side cut loose in the second half. The visitors were within touching distance with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a sin-binning to forward Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the second half. England fly-half Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton went top of Pool Four on points difference from holders Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Smith contributed 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this victory, coming after a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise last week, means last year's losing finalists Northampton could not have hoped for a better start as they look to go one better this season. Pretoria's number ten Kade Wolhuter missed an early penalty before the hosts opened the scoring when Pollock broke before feeding Ollie Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to race clear to the line. But an error 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 electric speed of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Saints had their second try as fast passing from Mitchell at the ruck base and then Smith sent Hendy over to make it 14-5 at the break. Northampton were on top in possession and territory and were being aided from the opposition fly-half Kade Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the visitors. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to deceive the onrushing defense before sending a sweet grubber kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second try and Saints' third. Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been responding to a trip just prior by the Saints player but the incident from the Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional when looked at by the match officials. Northampton capitalized of having the numerical advantage to clinch the try bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme scored as the hosts registered three tries in five frantic minutes. George Hendy wrapped up his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Josh Kemeny walked over for the eighth and final try of an excellent day for Northampton in the dying moments. Rerun of Last Year's Final Awaits Saints The top two teams in the pool meet in a rerun of last year's final when the tournament returns in January as Saints travel to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the group phase with a home game against the Scarlets on January 18th. The Bulls, who have a single point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol Bears next 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 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 first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of the Bulls. Ollie Sleightholme scored two tries and Pollock secured the fourth try inside an hour as a commanding Northampton side cut loose in the second half. The visitors were within touching distance with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a sin-binning to forward Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the second half. England fly-half Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton went top of Pool Four on points difference from holders Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Smith contributed 10 points in a star performance. The manner of this victory, coming after a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise last week, means last year's losing finalists Northampton could not have hoped for a better start as they look to go one better this season. Pretoria's number ten Kade Wolhuter missed an early penalty before the hosts opened the scoring when Pollock broke before feeding Ollie Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to race clear to the line. But an error 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 electric speed of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Saints had their second try as fast passing from Mitchell at the ruck base and then Smith sent Hendy over to make it 14-5 at the break. Northampton were on top in possession and territory and were being aided from the opposition fly-half Kade Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the visitors. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to deceive the onrushing defense before sending a sweet grubber kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second try and Saints' third. Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been responding to a trip just prior by the Saints player but the incident from the Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional when looked at by the match officials. Northampton capitalized of having the numerical advantage to clinch the try bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme scored as the hosts registered three tries in five frantic minutes. George Hendy wrapped up his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Josh Kemeny walked over for the eighth and final try of an excellent day for Northampton in the dying moments. Rerun of Last Year's Final Awaits Saints The top two teams in the pool meet in a rerun of last year's final when the tournament returns in January as Saints travel to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the group phase with a home game against the Scarlets on January 18th. The Bulls, who have a single point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol Bears next 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)