Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Saints Demolish Bulls

George Hendy scored a hat-trick as Northampton made it maximum points from their first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria.

Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock scored the bonus point try before the hour mark as a dominant Saints team ran riot in the latter period.

The Bulls were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the break but a sin-binning to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved very costly and they failed to register a point in the second half.

England fly-half Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton went top of their pool on points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points.

The manner of this win, coming after a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise previously, means last year's losing finalists Northampton could not have hoped for a better start as they aim to go one better in this campaign.

Bulls fly-half Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before the hosts opened the scoring when Pollock made a break before passing to Sleightholme who showed his pace to race clear to the try line.

But an error from Sleightholme let the Bulls back in as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to kick on and show electric speed of his own to score after 22 minutes.

Ten minutes later, Saints had their second as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Smith put George Hendy over in the corner to make it 14-5 at the half-time whistle.

Northampton were on top in possession and territory and were being aided from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the visitors.

That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the architect, darting inside to deceive the advancing defence before delivering a sweet left-footed kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second and Northampton's third.

Pretoria forward Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a tripping offense on Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been responding to a trip momentarily before by the Saints player but the incident from the Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the match officials.

Northampton seized the opportunity of having the extra man to secure the try bonus point through Henry Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme scored as the hosts registered three tries in five minutes.

George Hendy completed his triple with twelve minutes left on the clock and Kemeny walked over for the eighth and final try of an excellent afternoon for Northampton in the dying moments.

Rematch of Last Year's Final Awaits Saints

The leading pair in the group will face off in a rerun of last year's final when the tournament resumes in January as Northampton head to Bordeaux-Bègles. Northampton then round off the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January.

The Bulls, who have one point from two matches, host Bristol 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)