Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Northampton Rout Bulls

The young winger bagged a triple as Northampton made it maximum points from their opening two European games with an eight-try hammering of Pretoria.

Ollie Sleightholme scored two tries and Pollock secured the fourth try inside an hour as a dominant Northampton side cut loose in the second half.

The visitors were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the break but a yellow card to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the second half.

England fly-half Fin Smith added 10 points from the tee as Northampton went top of Pool Four on superior points difference from defending champions Bordeaux with the two teams on 10 points.

The nature of this victory, following a 35-27 away win at Pau last week, means last year's losing finalists Saints could not have asked for a better start as they look to go one better this season.

Pretoria's number ten Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before Saints took the lead when Pollock made a break before feeding Ollie Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to sprint away to the line.

But an mistake from the winger let the Bulls back in as the ball was knocked on in contact, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to kick on and show electric speed of his own to reply after 22 minutes.

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

Saints were on top in possession and territory and were being aided from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who twice missed touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the visitors.

That proved decisive after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, darting inside to deceive the advancing defence before sending a sweet grubber kick over the line for George Hendy to collect his second and Saints' third.

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 Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the officials.

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

Hendy completed his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an outstanding day for Saints in the dying moments.

Rerun of Last Season's Final Awaits Saints

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

The Pretoria Bulls, who have a single point from their opening two games, welcome 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)