🔗 Share this article George Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Northampton Hammer Pretoria Bulls Northampton's George Hendy also 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 The young winger scored a hat-trick as the Saints secured a perfect ten points from their opening two European games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Sleightholme scored two tries and 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 fourteen-five at the interval but a sin-binning to forward Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved decisive and they failed to register a point in the second half. England fly-half Fin Smith contributed 10 points with the boot as Saints went top of their pool on points difference from holders Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Fin Smith kicked 10 points in a man-of-the-match performance. The nature of this win, following a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise last week, means last season's runners-up Northampton could not have asked for a better start as they aim to go one better in this campaign. Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter failed with an early shot at goal before Saints opened the scoring when Henry Pollock broke before passing to Ollie Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to sprint away to the line. But an mistake from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to kick on and show electric speed of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Northampton had their second as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Smith sent Hendy over in the corner to make it fourteen to five at the break. Northampton were dominant in both ball and field position and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the away side. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to deceive the advancing defence before delivering a sweet grubber kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second and Saints' third. Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a trip on Emmanuel Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been responding to a trip momentarily before by Iyogun but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled accidental when reviewed by the match officials. Saints capitalized of having the extra man to clinch the try bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Ollie Sleightholme crossed as the hosts registered three scores in five minutes. Hendy wrapped up his triple with twelve minutes left on the clock and Josh Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent afternoon for Saints in the final minute. Rematch of Last Year's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the pool meet in a rematch of last year's final when the tournament resumes in the new year as Northampton head to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the group phase with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January. The Bulls, who have a single point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol in their next outing 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 George Hendy also 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 The young winger scored a hat-trick as the Saints secured a perfect ten points from their opening two European games with an eight-try thrashing of Pretoria. Sleightholme scored two tries and 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 fourteen-five at the interval but a sin-binning to forward Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved decisive and they failed to register a point in the second half. England fly-half Fin Smith contributed 10 points with the boot as Saints went top of their pool on points difference from holders Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points. Fin Smith kicked 10 points in a man-of-the-match performance. The nature of this win, following a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise last week, means last season's runners-up Northampton could not have asked for a better start as they aim to go one better in this campaign. Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter failed with an early shot at goal before Saints opened the scoring when Henry Pollock broke before passing to Ollie Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to sprint away to the line. But an mistake from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to kick on and show electric speed of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Shortly after, Northampton had their second as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Smith sent Hendy over in the corner to make it fourteen to five at the break. Northampton were dominant in both ball and field position and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the away side. That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to deceive the advancing defence before delivering a sweet grubber kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second and Saints' third. Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a trip on Emmanuel Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been responding to a trip momentarily before by Iyogun but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled accidental when reviewed by the match officials. Saints capitalized of having the extra man to clinch the try bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Ollie Sleightholme crossed as the hosts registered three scores in five minutes. Hendy wrapped up his triple with twelve minutes left on the clock and Josh Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent afternoon for Saints in the final minute. Rematch of Last Year's Final Awaits Saints The leading pair in the pool meet in a rematch of last year's final when the tournament resumes in the new year as Northampton head to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the group phase with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January. The Bulls, who have a single point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol in their next outing 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)