George Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Northampton Demolish Bulls
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 opening two European games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls.
Ollie Sleightholme scored two tries and Pollock secured the bonus point try before the hour mark as a dominant Northampton side cut loose in the latter period.
The Bulls were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the break but a sin-binning to forward Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a unnecessary trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes.
England fly-half Fin Smith added 10 points with the boot as Northampton went top of Pool Four on superior points difference from holders Bordeaux with both sides on 10 points.
The manner of this victory, following a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise last week, means last season's runners-up Northampton could not have asked for a more ideal beginning as they aim to improve on that in this campaign.
Pretoria's number ten Kade Wolhuter failed with an early shot at goal before the hosts took the lead when Pollock broke before passing to Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the try line.
But an mistake from the winger allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Pretoria winger Stravino Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show electric speed of his own to score after 22 minutes.
Shortly after, Saints had their second try as quick hands from Mitchell at the ruck base and then Smith sent Hendy over in the corner to make it 14-5 at the half-time whistle.
Saints were on top in both ball and field position and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Kade Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the visitors.
That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, darting inside to wrong-foot the advancing defence before delivering a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second and Saints' third.
Pretoria forward Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been reacting to a trip momentarily before by Iyogun but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when looked at by the match officials.
Northampton capitalized of having the numerical advantage to secure the bonus point through Henry Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme crossed as the hosts notched three scores in five frantic minutes.
George Hendy wrapped up his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Josh Kemeny strolled in 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 pool will face off in a rerun of the previous season's final when the tournament returns in the new year as Saints head to Bordeaux. Northampton then round off the group phase with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th.
The Bulls, who have a single point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol in their next outing 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)
