George Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Saints Rout Pretoria Bulls

The young winger scored a hat-trick as Northampton made it maximum points from their opening two European games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls.

Sleightholme scored two tries and Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a dominant Saints team ran riot in the latter period.

The visitors were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the break 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.

England fly-half Fin Smith contributed 10 points with the boot as Saints moved to the summit of their pool on superior points difference from defending champions Bordeaux with the two teams on 10 points.

The nature of this victory, coming after a 35-27 away win at Pau last week, means last year's losing finalists Saints could not have asked for a more ideal beginning as they look to improve on that in this campaign.

Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before the hosts took the lead when Henry Pollock made a break before feeding Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the line.

But an mistake from Sleightholme 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 blistering pace of his own to reply after 22 minutes.

Shortly after, Northampton had their second try as fast passing from Alex Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Smith sent George Hendy over in the corner to make it fourteen to five at the half-time whistle.

Northampton were dominant in both ball and field position and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Wolhuter who twice missed touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the visitors.

That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, stepping inside to deceive the advancing defence before sending a perfectly weighted grubber kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second and Northampton's third score.

Bulls prop Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a tripping offense on Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been reacting to a trip just prior by the Saints player but the incident from the Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the match officials.

Northampton capitalized of having the extra man to secure the bonus point through Henry Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme crossed as the home team notched three tries in five frantic minutes.

George Hendy completed his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny walked over for the eighth and final try of an outstanding afternoon for Northampton in the final minute.

Rematch of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints

The leading pair in the group will face off in a rematch of the previous season's final when the Investec Champions Cup returns in January as Saints travel to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on January 18th.

The Bulls, who have one 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)