🔗 Share this article Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Saints Demolish Pretoria Bulls Northampton's Hendy also 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 maximum points from their first two European games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls. Sleightholme crossed twice and Henry Pollock secured the fourth try before the hour mark as a commanding Northampton side ran riot in the latter period. The Bulls were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the interval but a yellow card to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. International Fin Smith contributed 10 points with the boot as Northampton moved to the summit of their pool on points difference from defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points. Smith kicked 10 points in a star performance. The nature of this win, coming after a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise last week, means last season's runners-up Saints could not have asked for a better start as they aim to improve on that this season. Pretoria's number ten 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 race clear to the line. But an error from Sleightholme allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball slipped from his grasp in contact, allowing Bulls wing 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 quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Fin Smith sent Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the half-time whistle. Saints were dominant in possession and territory and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to bring the pressure back on the away side. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, darting inside to wrong-foot the onrushing defense before sending a perfectly weighted grubber kick over the line for George Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third score. Bulls prop Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a tripping offense on Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been responding to a trip momentarily before by Iyogun but the contact from the Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the match officials. Saints capitalized of having the extra man to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme scored as the home team registered three tries in five minutes. Hendy wrapped up his hat-trick with twelve minutes left on the clock and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth try of an outstanding afternoon for Northampton in the final minute. Rematch of Last Year's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the group meet in a rematch of last year's final when the tournament resumes in January as Saints travel to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the group phase with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th. The Bulls, who have a single 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)
Northampton's Hendy also 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 maximum points from their first two European games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls. Sleightholme crossed twice and Henry Pollock secured the fourth try before the hour mark as a commanding Northampton side ran riot in the latter period. The Bulls were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the interval but a yellow card to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. International Fin Smith contributed 10 points with the boot as Northampton moved to the summit of their pool on points difference from defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points. Smith kicked 10 points in a star performance. The nature of this win, coming after a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise last week, means last season's runners-up Saints could not have asked for a better start as they aim to improve on that this season. Pretoria's number ten 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 race clear to the line. But an error from Sleightholme allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball slipped from his grasp in contact, allowing Bulls wing 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 quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Fin Smith sent Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the half-time whistle. Saints were dominant in possession and territory and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to bring the pressure back on the away side. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, darting inside to wrong-foot the onrushing defense before sending a perfectly weighted grubber kick over the line for George Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third score. Bulls prop Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a tripping offense on Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been responding to a trip momentarily before by Iyogun but the contact from the Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the match officials. Saints capitalized of having the extra man to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme scored as the home team registered three tries in five minutes. Hendy wrapped up his hat-trick with twelve minutes left on the clock and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth try of an outstanding afternoon for Northampton in the final minute. Rematch of Last Year's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the group meet in a rematch of last year's final when the tournament resumes in January as Saints travel to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the group phase with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th. The Bulls, who have a single 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)