Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Northampton Hammer Bulls

The young winger scored a hat-trick as Northampton 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 commanding Northampton side ran riot in the second half.

The Bulls were still in the game with the score fourteen-five at the break but a yellow card 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 Smith added 10 points with the boot as Saints went top of Pool Four on points difference from defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles with the two teams on 10 points.

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

Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter missed an early penalty before Saints opened the scoring when Pollock made a break before feeding Ollie Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to sprint away 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 kick on and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes.

Ten minutes later, Northampton had their second try as fast passing from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Smith sent Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the half-time whistle.

Northampton 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 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 sending a sweet grubber kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second try and Saints' third.

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

Northampton seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to clinch the bonus point through Henry Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme scored as the hosts registered three scores in five minutes.

Hendy completed his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an outstanding afternoon for Northampton in the final minute.

Rerun of Last Year's Final Next for 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-Bègles. Northampton then round off the group phase with a home game against Scarlets on January 18th.

The Pretoria Bulls, who have one point from their opening two games, host Bristol Bears 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)