George Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Saints Rout Pretoria 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 Northampton made it a perfect ten points from their opening two European games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls.
Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock secured the fourth try before the hour mark as a dominant Northampton side cut loose in the second half.
The Bulls were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the interval but a yellow card to forward Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved decisive and they did not score a point in the second half.
International Fin Smith contributed 10 points with the boot as Saints moved to the summit of Pool Four on points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles with the two teams on 10 points.
The nature of this win, coming after a 35-27 victory on the road at Section Paloise previously, means last season's runners-up Northampton could not have asked for a more ideal beginning as they look to improve on that this season.
Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before Saints took the lead when Henry Pollock broke before feeding Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the line.
But an mistake from Sleightholme let the Bulls back in as the ball slipped from his grasp in contact, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show electric speed of his own to score after 22 minutes.
Ten minutes later, Northampton had their second try as quick hands from Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Fin Smith sent George Hendy over to make it 14-5 at the break.
Saints were on top in both ball and field position and were being given a helping hand from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the away side.
That told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the architect, darting inside to wrong-foot the advancing defence before sending a sweet grubber kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second and Northampton's third score.
Pretoria forward Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a trip on Iyogun. The prop was insistent he had been responding to a trip momentarily before by Iyogun but the contact from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the match officials.
Northampton capitalized of having the numerical advantage to secure the try bonus point through Henry Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme scored as the hosts registered three tries in five frantic minutes.
Hendy completed his hat-trick with 12 minutes remaining and Josh Kemeny walked over for the eighth and final try of an excellent afternoon for Saints in the final minute.
Rematch of Last Year's Final Next for Saints
The top two teams in the group meet in a rematch of the previous season's final when the tournament resumes in the new year as Northampton head to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the group phase with a home game against Scarlets on January 18th.
The Bulls, who have a single point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol next 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)
