🔗 Share this article Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Northampton Demolish Pretoria Bulls Saints winger 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 The young winger bagged a triple as Northampton secured a perfect ten points from their opening two European games with an eight-try thrashing of the Bulls. Sleightholme scored two tries and Henry Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a dominant Northampton side cut loose in the second half. The Bulls were still in the game with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a yellow card to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved decisive and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. International Smith contributed 10 points with the boot as Northampton moved to the summit 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 victory, coming after a 35-27 away win at Pau previously, means last year's losing finalists Northampton could not have asked for a better start 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 broke before passing to Ollie Sleightholme who showed his pace to race clear to the try line. But an error from the winger allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Bulls wing Stravino Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show electric speed of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Saints had their second as fast passing from Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Smith sent Hendy over in the corner to make it fourteen to five at the half-time whistle. Saints were on top in possession and territory and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the visitors. That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, darting inside to wrong-foot the advancing defence before sending a sweet grubber kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third score. Pretoria forward Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a tripping offense on Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been reacting to a trip just prior by the Saints player but the contact from the Northampton substitute was ruled accidental when reviewed by the officials. Saints seized the opportunity of having the extra man to secure the try bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme scored as the home team notched 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 try of an outstanding afternoon for Northampton in the dying moments. Rematch of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints The top two teams in the pool meet in a rematch of the previous season's final when the Investec Champions Cup returns in the new year as Saints head to Bordeaux-Bègles. The Saints then conclude the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January. The Pretoria Bulls, who have a single point from two matches, host Bristol Bears in their next outing 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)
Saints winger 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 The young winger bagged a triple as Northampton secured a perfect ten points from their opening two European games with an eight-try thrashing of the Bulls. Sleightholme scored two tries and Henry Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a dominant Northampton side cut loose in the second half. The Bulls were still in the game with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a yellow card to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved decisive and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes. International Smith contributed 10 points with the boot as Northampton moved to the summit 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 victory, coming after a 35-27 away win at Pau previously, means last year's losing finalists Northampton could not have asked for a better start 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 broke before passing to Ollie Sleightholme who showed his pace to race clear to the try line. But an error from the winger allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Bulls wing Stravino Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show electric speed of his own to reply after 22 minutes. Ten minutes later, Saints had their second as fast passing from Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Smith sent Hendy over in the corner to make it fourteen to five at the half-time whistle. Saints were on top in possession and territory and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the visitors. That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, darting inside to wrong-foot the advancing defence before sending a sweet grubber kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third score. Pretoria forward Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a tripping offense on Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been reacting to a trip just prior by the Saints player but the contact from the Northampton substitute was ruled accidental when reviewed by the officials. Saints seized the opportunity of having the extra man to secure the try bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme scored as the home team notched 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 try of an outstanding afternoon for Northampton in the dying moments. Rematch of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints The top two teams in the pool meet in a rematch of the previous season's final when the Investec Champions Cup returns in the new year as Saints head to Bordeaux-Bègles. The Saints then conclude the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January. The Pretoria Bulls, who have a single point from two matches, host Bristol Bears in their next outing 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)