🔗 Share this article Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Saints Rout 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 the Saints secured maximum points from their opening two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls. Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock secured the fourth try inside an hour as a dominant Northampton side cut loose in the latter period. The visitors were still in the game 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 failed to register a point in the second half. England fly-half Fin Smith added 10 points with the boot as Northampton went top of their pool on superior points difference from holders Bordeaux with the two teams on 10 points. Smith contributed 10 points in a star performance. The manner 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 more ideal beginning as they aim to improve on that this season. Bulls fly-half Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before the hosts took the lead when Henry Pollock made a break before feeding Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the line. But an error from Sleightholme allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Bulls wing Jacobs to kick on and show electric speed of his own to score after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Northampton had their second try as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith sent Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the break. Saints were on top in both ball and field position and were being given a helping hand from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the away side. That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, stepping inside to wrong-foot the onrushing defense before delivering a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second try and Northampton's third score. Pretoria forward Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a tripping offense on Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been reacting to a trip momentarily before by the Saints player but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when looked at by the officials. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme crossed as the home team notched three scores in five minutes. Hendy completed his triple with twelve minutes left on the clock and Josh Kemeny walked over for the eighth try of an excellent day for Saints in the final minute. Rerun of Last Season's Final Next for Saints The top two teams in the group will face off in a rematch of last year's final when the Investec Champions Cup resumes in January as Saints head to Bordeaux. The Saints then round off the pool stage with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th. The Pretoria Bulls, who have one point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol next before traveling to 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 bagged a triple as the Saints secured maximum points from their opening two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls. Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock secured the fourth try inside an hour as a dominant Northampton side cut loose in the latter period. The visitors were still in the game 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 failed to register a point in the second half. England fly-half Fin Smith added 10 points with the boot as Northampton went top of their pool on superior points difference from holders Bordeaux with the two teams on 10 points. Smith contributed 10 points in a star performance. The manner 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 more ideal beginning as they aim to improve on that this season. Bulls fly-half Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before the hosts took the lead when Henry Pollock made a break before feeding Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the line. But an error from Sleightholme allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Bulls wing Jacobs to kick on and show electric speed of his own to score after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Northampton had their second try as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith sent Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the break. Saints were on top in both ball and field position and were being given a helping hand from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the away side. That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, stepping inside to wrong-foot the onrushing defense before delivering a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second try and Northampton's third score. Pretoria forward Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a tripping offense on Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been reacting to a trip momentarily before by the Saints player but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when looked at by the officials. Northampton seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme crossed as the home team notched three scores in five minutes. Hendy completed his triple with twelve minutes left on the clock and Josh Kemeny walked over for the eighth try of an excellent day for Saints in the final minute. Rerun of Last Season's Final Next for Saints The top two teams in the group will face off in a rematch of last year's final when the Investec Champions Cup resumes in January as Saints head to Bordeaux. The Saints then round off the pool stage with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th. The Pretoria Bulls, who have one point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol next before traveling to 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)