George Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Northampton Rout Bulls
Investec Champions Cup Pool Four
Northampton Saints (14) 50
Tries: Sleightholme 2, Hendy 3, Pollock, Coles, Kemeny Cons: Smith 5
Pretoria Bulls (5) 5
Tries: Jacobs
The young winger scored a hat-trick as the Saints made it a perfect ten points from their opening two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls.
Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock scored the fourth try before the hour mark 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 sin-binning to forward Alulutho 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 contributed 10 points from the tee as Saints went top of their pool on superior points difference from holders Bordeaux with the two teams on 10 points.
The manner of this win, following a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise last week, means last season's runners-up Northampton could not have hoped for a better start as they look to go one better in this campaign.
Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter failed with an early shot at goal before the hosts opened the scoring when Pollock made a break before passing to Ollie Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to race clear to the line.
But an mistake from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball slipped from his grasp in contact, allowing Bulls wing Stravino Jacobs to kick on and show electric speed of his own to reply after 22 minutes.
Shortly after, Northampton had their second try as fast passing from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith put George Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the half-time whistle.
Northampton were on top in both ball and field position and were being given a helping hand from Bulls fly-half 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 architect, stepping inside to deceive the onrushing defense before delivering a sweet left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second and Saints' third score.
Pretoria forward Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been responding to a trip momentarily before by the Saints player but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled accidental when looked at by the match officials.
Northampton seized the opportunity of having the extra man to secure the bonus point through Henry Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme crossed as the home team registered three scores in five frantic minutes.
Hendy completed his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny walked over for the eighth try of an excellent afternoon for Saints in the dying moments.
Rematch of Last Year's Final Next for Saints
The leading pair in the pool will face off in a rematch of the previous season's final when the tournament resumes in January as Northampton travel to Bordeaux. The Saints then conclude the group phase with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th.
The Pretoria Bulls, who have a single point from two matches, host Bristol 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)
