🔗 Share this article Hendy Scores Three 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 bagged a triple as Northampton made it a perfect ten points from their opening two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock scored the bonus point try inside an hour as a commanding Saints team ran riot in the second half. The visitors were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the break but a yellow card to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved decisive and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. International Fin Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton moved to the summit of Pool Four on points difference from holders Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Fin Smith kicked 10 points in a man-of-the-match performance. The manner of this win, following a 35-27 victory on the road at Pau last week, means last season's runners-up Northampton could not have hoped for a more ideal beginning as they look to improve on that this season. Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before the hosts took the lead when Henry Pollock broke before passing to Ollie Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the line. But an error from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball slipped from his grasp in contact, allowing Pretoria winger Stravino Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show electric speed of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Saints had their second as fast passing from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith sent George Hendy over in the corner to make it 14-5 at the break. Saints were on top in possession and territory and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the away side. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, stepping inside to wrong-foot the onrushing defense before delivering a sweet left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third. Pretoria forward Alulutho Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a tripping offense on Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been responding to a trip momentarily before by Iyogun but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled accidental when looked at by the officials. Northampton capitalized of having the numerical advantage to clinch the bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme crossed as the home team notched three scores in five minutes. George Hendy completed 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 Season's Final Next for Saints The leading pair in the group will face off in a rerun of the previous season's final when the Investec Champions Cup returns in January as Saints head to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on January 18th. The Pretoria Bulls, who have one point from two matches, host Bristol next before an away trip 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 bagged a triple as Northampton made it a perfect ten points from their opening two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock scored the bonus point try inside an hour as a commanding Saints team ran riot in the second half. The visitors were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the break but a yellow card to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved decisive and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. International Fin Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton moved to the summit of Pool Four on points difference from holders Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Fin Smith kicked 10 points in a man-of-the-match performance. The manner of this win, following a 35-27 victory on the road at Pau last week, means last season's runners-up Northampton could not have hoped for a more ideal beginning as they look to improve on that this season. Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before the hosts took the lead when Henry Pollock broke before passing to Ollie Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the line. But an error from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball slipped from his grasp in contact, allowing Pretoria winger Stravino Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show electric speed of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Saints had their second as fast passing from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith sent George Hendy over in the corner to make it 14-5 at the break. Saints were on top in possession and territory and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the away side. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, stepping inside to wrong-foot the onrushing defense before delivering a sweet left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third. Pretoria forward Alulutho Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a tripping offense on Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been responding to a trip momentarily before by Iyogun but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled accidental when looked at by the officials. Northampton capitalized of having the numerical advantage to clinch the bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme crossed as the home team notched three scores in five minutes. George Hendy completed 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 Season's Final Next for Saints The leading pair in the group will face off in a rerun of the previous season's final when the Investec Champions Cup returns in January as Saints head to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on January 18th. The Pretoria Bulls, who have one point from two matches, host Bristol next before an away trip 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)