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Hendy Scores Three as Eight-Try Saints 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 bagged a triple as Northampton secured maximum points from their opening two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of the Bulls.
Sleightholme crossed twice and Henry Pollock secured the bonus point try before the hour mark as a dominant Saints team cut loose in the latter period.
The Bulls were still in the game with the score fourteen-five at the break but a yellow card to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they failed to register a point in the final forty minutes.
International Fin Smith contributed 10 points with the boot as Saints moved to the summit of Pool Four on superior points difference from defending champions Bordeaux with the two teams on 10 points.
The manner of this win, following a 35-27 away win at Section Paloise last week, means last year's losing finalists Saints could not have asked for a more ideal beginning as they aim to improve on that this season.
Bulls fly-half Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before the hosts opened the scoring when Pollock broke before feeding Ollie Sleightholme who demonstrated his speed to race clear to the line.
But an error from the winger allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Pretoria winger Jacobs to kick on and show blistering pace of his own to score after 22 minutes.
Ten minutes later, Saints had their second try as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the ruck base and then Smith put Hendy over in the corner to make it fourteen to five at the break.
Saints were dominant in both ball and field position and were being aided from Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter who failed to find touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the visitors.
That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, darting inside to deceive the onrushing defense before sending a perfectly weighted left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second and Northampton's third score.
Bulls prop Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a tripping offense on Emmanuel Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been responding to a trip just prior by Iyogun but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled accidental when reviewed by the officials.
Northampton seized the opportunity of having the numerical advantage to secure the try bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme crossed as the hosts notched three tries in five minutes.
George 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 Awaits Saints
The top two teams in the pool meet in a rematch of the previous season's final when the Investec Champions Cup returns in the new year as Northampton travel to Bordeaux. Northampton then conclude the group phase with a home game against the Scarlets on January 18th.
The Pretoria Bulls, who have one point from their opening two games, host Bristol in their next outing before an away trip 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)
Melissa Adams
Certified Scrum Master with over 10 years of experience in leading Agile transformations and coaching teams to success.
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