Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Northampton Demolish Bulls

George Hendy bagged a triple as the Saints made it a perfect ten points from their first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of the Bulls.

Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice and Henry Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark as a commanding Saints team ran riot in the latter period.

The Bulls were within touching distance with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a sin-binning to forward Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved decisive and they failed to register 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 defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles with the two teams on 10 points.

The nature of this win, coming after a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise previously, means last year's losing finalists Northampton could not have hoped for a better start as they look to go one better this season.

Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before Saints took the lead when Pollock broke before passing to Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to sprint away to the try line.

But an error from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Pretoria winger 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 try as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith put Hendy over in the corner to make it 14-5 at the break.

Saints were dominant in possession and territory and were being aided from the opposition fly-half Kade Wolhuter who failed to find touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the visitors.

That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, darting inside to deceive the advancing defence before delivering a sweet left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third.

Pretoria forward Alulutho Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Emmanuel 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 accidental when looked at by the match officials.

Saints seized the opportunity of having the extra man to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Ollie Sleightholme crossed as the hosts notched three scores in five minutes.

Hendy completed his triple with twelve minutes left on the clock and Josh Kemeny walked over for the eighth try of an outstanding day for Saints in the dying moments.

Rerun of Last Year's Final Next for Saints

The top two teams in the group meet in a rerun of last year's final when the Investec Champions Cup resumes in January as Northampton travel to Bordeaux. The Saints then round off the pool stage with a fixture at home against the Scarlets on 18 January.

The Bulls, who have a single point from two matches, host Bristol Bears next 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)