George Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Saints Rout Bulls

George Hendy scored a hat-trick as Northampton made it 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 commanding Saints team cut loose in the second half.

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 decisive and they failed to register a point in the final forty minutes.

England fly-half Smith added 10 points with the boot as Saints moved to the summit of their pool on superior points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points.

The nature of this win, following a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise last week, means last season's runners-up Northampton could not have hoped for a better start as they aim to improve on that this season.

Bulls fly-half Wolhuter failed with an early shot at goal before Saints took the lead when Henry Pollock broke before passing to Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the try line.

But an error from Sleightholme let the Bulls back in as the ball slipped from his grasp in contact, allowing Pretoria winger Stravino Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show electric speed of his own to reply after 22 minutes.

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

Northampton were dominant in possession and territory and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who twice missed touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the away side.

That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to deceive the onrushing defense before sending a perfectly weighted grubber kick over the line for George Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third.

Bulls prop Alulutho Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a trip on Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was insistent he had been reacting to a trip momentarily before by the Saints player but the contact from the Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional 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 home team registered three scores in five frantic minutes.

Hendy completed his hat-trick with twelve minutes left on the clock and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an excellent day for Saints in the dying moments.

Rematch of Last Year's Final Next for Saints

The top two teams in the pool will face off in a rerun of the previous season's final when the tournament returns in January as Saints travel to Bordeaux-Bègles. Northampton then round off the group phase with a home game against Scarlets on January 18th.

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