🔗 Share this article Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Northampton Rout Pretoria Bulls Northampton's 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 made it a perfect ten points from their first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice and Henry Pollock scored the bonus point try inside an hour as a dominant Saints team ran riot in the second half. The visitors were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the interval but a yellow card to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they failed to register a point in the second half. International Fin Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton moved to the summit of Pool Four on superior points difference from holders Bordeaux with the two teams on 10 points. Fin 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 better start as they look to improve on that in this campaign. Pretoria's number ten 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 sprint away to the try line. But an error from the winger allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Pretoria winger 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 ruck base and then Fin Smith sent Hendy over to make it 14-5 at the half-time whistle. Northampton were on top in possession and territory and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the visitors. That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the creator, darting inside to wrong-foot the onrushing defense before sending a sweet left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third. Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a tripping offense on Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been reacting to a trip just prior by Iyogun but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the officials. Northampton capitalized of having the extra man to clinch the bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Ollie Sleightholme crossed as the home team registered three tries in five minutes. Hendy wrapped up his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth try of an excellent afternoon for Saints in the dying moments. Rerun of Last Year's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the group meet in a rematch of the previous season's final when the tournament resumes in January as Northampton head to Bordeaux. The Saints then conclude the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January. The Pretoria Bulls, who have one point from two matches, welcome Bristol Bears 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 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 made it a perfect ten points from their first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice and Henry Pollock scored the bonus point try inside an hour as a dominant Saints team ran riot in the second half. The visitors were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the interval but a yellow card to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they failed to register a point in the second half. International Fin Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Northampton moved to the summit of Pool Four on superior points difference from holders Bordeaux with the two teams on 10 points. Fin 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 better start as they look to improve on that in this campaign. Pretoria's number ten 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 sprint away to the try line. But an error from the winger allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Pretoria winger 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 ruck base and then Fin Smith sent Hendy over to make it 14-5 at the half-time whistle. Northampton were on top in possession and territory and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the visitors. That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the creator, darting inside to wrong-foot the onrushing defense before sending a sweet left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third. Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a tripping offense on Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been reacting to a trip just prior by Iyogun but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the officials. Northampton capitalized of having the extra man to clinch the bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Ollie Sleightholme crossed as the home team registered three tries in five minutes. Hendy wrapped up his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth try of an excellent afternoon for Saints in the dying moments. Rerun of Last Year's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the group meet in a rematch of the previous season's final when the tournament resumes in January as Northampton head to Bordeaux. The Saints then conclude the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January. The Pretoria Bulls, who have one point from two matches, welcome Bristol Bears 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)