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Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Saints Hammer 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
George Hendy scored a hat-trick as Northampton made it a perfect ten points from their first two European games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls.
Ollie Sleightholme scored two tries and Henry Pollock scored the bonus point try inside an hour as a dominant Saints team cut loose in the latter period.
The visitors were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the interval but a yellow card to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved decisive and they failed to register a point in the final forty minutes.
International Fin Smith added 10 points from the tee as Northampton moved to the summit of Pool Four on superior points difference from holders Bordeaux with the two teams on 10 points.
The nature of this victory, following a 35-27 victory on the road at Pau previously, means last season's runners-up Saints could not have asked for a better start as they aim to go one better in this campaign.
Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before the hosts took the lead when Pollock made a break before passing to Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to sprint away to the try line.
But an mistake from the winger allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Bulls wing Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes.
Shortly after, Saints had their second as quick hands from Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith sent George Hendy over in the corner to make it fourteen to five at the half-time whistle.
Saints were on top in both ball and field position and were being aided from the opposition fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the away side.
That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the architect, darting inside to wrong-foot the onrushing defense before sending a sweet left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second try and Northampton's third.
Pretoria forward Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a tripping offense on Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was insistent he had been responding to a trip just prior by Iyogun but the contact from the Northampton substitute was ruled accidental when looked at by the officials.
Northampton seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to clinch the bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Sleightholme scored as the hosts notched three tries in five minutes.
George Hendy completed his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny walked over for the eighth try of an outstanding afternoon for Saints in the final minute.
Rematch of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints
The top two teams in the group will face off in a rerun of the previous season's final when the tournament returns in the new year as Northampton head to Bordeaux-Bègles. The Saints then conclude the pool stage with a fixture at home against Scarlets on January 18th.
The Bulls, who have one point from two matches, welcome Bristol Bears in their next outing before traveling to 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)
James Shepherd
A seasoned business strategist with over a decade of experience in digital marketing and corporate growth initiatives.
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