George Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Saints Hammer Bulls

George Hendy scored a hat-trick as the Saints secured maximum points from their first two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try thrashing of the Bulls.

Ollie Sleightholme scored two tries and Pollock secured the bonus point try inside an hour as a commanding Northampton side ran riot in the second half.

The visitors were within touching distance with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a yellow card to prop Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they did not score a point in the final forty minutes.

England fly-half Smith added 10 points from the tee as Northampton went top of their pool on points difference from defending champions Bordeaux-Bègles with both sides on 10 points.

The manner of this win, following a 35-27 away win at Pau last week, means last season's runners-up Saints could not have hoped for a more ideal beginning as they look to go one better this season.

Bulls fly-half Wolhuter failed with an early penalty before Saints took the lead when Henry Pollock broke before passing to Ollie Sleightholme who showed his pace to race clear to the try line.

But an mistake from Sleightholme allowed the Bulls back into the game as the ball was knocked on in the tackle, allowing Bulls wing Stravino 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 fast passing from Mitchell at the ruck base and then Fin Smith put George Hendy over in the corner to make it fourteen to five at the break.

Saints 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 told after 48 minutes when Fin Smith was again the creator, darting inside to deceive 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 Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been responding to a trip momentarily before by Iyogun but the incident from the Saints replacement prop was ruled unintentional when reviewed by the match officials.

Saints capitalized of having the numerical advantage to secure the try bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Ollie Sleightholme scored as the hosts notched three scores in five frantic minutes.

Hendy wrapped up his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Josh Kemeny strolled in for the eighth try of an excellent day for Northampton in the final minute.

Rematch of Last Year's Final Next for Saints

The top two teams in the group will face off in a rematch of last year's final when the tournament resumes in the new year as Saints travel to Bordeaux-Bègles. The Saints then round off the pool stage with a home game against the Scarlets on January 18th.

The Bulls, who have one point from two matches, host Bristol Bears in their next outing 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)