George Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Northampton Demolish Pretoria Bulls

The young winger bagged a triple as the Saints secured a perfect ten points from their first two European games with an eight-try thrashing of the Bulls.

Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice and Henry Pollock scored the fourth try inside an hour as a commanding Northampton side ran riot in the latter period.

The visitors were within touching distance with the score 14-5 at the break but a yellow card to forward Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they failed to register a point in the final forty minutes.

International Fin Smith added 10 points from the tee as Saints moved to the summit of Pool Four on superior points difference from defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles with the two teams on 10 points.

The manner of this win, coming after a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise previously, means last season's runners-up Saints could not have asked for a better start as they look to go one better this season.

Bulls fly-half Wolhuter missed an early penalty before the hosts took the lead when Pollock made a break before feeding Ollie Sleightholme who showed his pace to race clear to the line.

But an error from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Bulls wing Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show blistering pace of his own to reply after 22 minutes.

Shortly after, Northampton had their second try as quick hands from Mitchell at the ruck base and then Smith put George Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the break.

Northampton were dominant in possession and territory and were being aided from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to bring the pressure back on the away side.

That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, darting inside to wrong-foot the onrushing defense before delivering a sweet grubber kick over the line for George Hendy to grab his second try and Saints' third.

Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been reacting to a trip momentarily before by Iyogun but the contact from the Saints replacement prop was ruled accidental when reviewed by the match officials.

Northampton seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to clinch the try bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme scored as the hosts notched three tries in five frantic minutes.

Hendy completed his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth try of an outstanding day for Northampton in the dying moments.

Rerun of Last Year's Final Next for Saints

The top two teams in the pool will face off in a rerun of last year's final when the Investec Champions Cup returns in January as Northampton head to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the pool stage with a fixture at home against the Scarlets on 18 January.

The Pretoria Bulls, who have one point from two matches, host 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)