đź”— Share this article Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Saints Demolish Bulls Saints winger George Hendy previously 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 bagged a triple as the Saints secured a perfect ten points from their first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Ollie Sleightholme scored two tries and Henry Pollock secured the fourth try before the hour mark as a dominant Saints team cut loose in the latter period. The Bulls were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the interval but a sin-binning to forward 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 Fin Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton moved to the summit of their pool on points difference from holders Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Smith kicked 10 points in a star performance. The nature of this win, coming after a 35-27 victory on the road 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 shot at goal before Saints took the lead when Pollock broke before feeding Ollie Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to sprint away to the try line. But an mistake from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show blistering pace of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Saints had their second try as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Smith put George Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the break. Saints were dominant in possession and territory and were being aided from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to bring the pressure back on the visitors. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, darting inside to wrong-foot the advancing defence before sending a perfectly weighted grubber kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second try 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 just prior by Iyogun but the contact from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when looked at by the officials. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the extra man to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme crossed as the hosts registered three tries in five frantic minutes. Hendy completed his hat-trick with twelve minutes left on the clock and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent day for Saints in the dying moments. Rerun 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 Investec Champions Cup resumes in January as Northampton head to Bordeaux. Northampton then round off the pool stage with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th. The Bulls, who have one 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)
Saints winger George Hendy previously 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 bagged a triple as the Saints secured a perfect ten points from their first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Ollie Sleightholme scored two tries and Henry Pollock secured the fourth try before the hour mark as a dominant Saints team cut loose in the latter period. The Bulls were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the interval but a sin-binning to forward 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 Fin Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton moved to the summit of their pool on points difference from holders Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Smith kicked 10 points in a star performance. The nature of this win, coming after a 35-27 victory on the road 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 shot at goal before Saints took the lead when Pollock broke before feeding Ollie Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to sprint away to the try line. But an mistake from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show blistering pace of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Saints had their second try as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Smith put George Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the break. Saints were dominant in possession and territory and were being aided from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to bring the pressure back on the visitors. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, darting inside to wrong-foot the advancing defence before sending a perfectly weighted grubber kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second try 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 just prior by Iyogun but the contact from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when looked at by the officials. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the extra man to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme crossed as the hosts registered three tries in five frantic minutes. Hendy completed his hat-trick with twelve minutes left on the clock and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent day for Saints in the dying moments. Rerun 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 Investec Champions Cup resumes in January as Northampton head to Bordeaux. Northampton then round off the pool stage with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th. The Bulls, who have one 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)