Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Northampton Hammer 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 bagged a triple as Northampton secured a perfect ten points from their opening two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls.
Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock scored the bonus point try before the hour mark as a commanding Saints team ran riot in the second half.
The visitors 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 unnecessary trip proved decisive and they failed to register a point in the final forty minutes.
International Smith contributed 10 points from the tee as Saints moved to the summit of Pool Four on points difference from holders Bordeaux with the two teams on 10 points.
The manner of this win, coming after a 35-27 away win at Pau last week, means last year's losing finalists Northampton could not have asked for a better start as they aim to improve on that in this campaign.
Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter failed with an early shot at goal before the hosts took the lead when Pollock made a break 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 contact, allowing Pretoria winger Stravino Jacobs to hack the ball forward and show blistering pace of his own to reply after 22 minutes.
Ten minutes later, Saints had their second try as quick hands from Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Smith put George Hendy over to make it fourteen to five at the break.
Saints were on top in possession and territory and were being given a helping hand from the opposition fly-half Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to bring the pressure back on the away side.
That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, darting inside to wrong-foot the advancing defence before delivering a sweet grubber kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second and Northampton's third score.
Bulls prop Tshakweni was then shown a yellow card for a tripping offense on Iyogun. The prop was adamant he had been reacting to a trip just prior by the Saints player but the incident from the Northampton substitute was ruled unintentional when looked at by the match officials.
Northampton capitalized of having the extra man to clinch the try bonus point through Pollock before Coles and Ollie Sleightholme scored as the home team registered three scores in five minutes.
Hendy completed his triple with 12 minutes remaining and Josh Kemeny strolled in for the eighth and final try of an outstanding afternoon for Northampton in the final minute.
Rerun of Last Year's Final Next for Saints
The leading pair in the pool will face off in a rematch of the previous season's final when the Investec Champions Cup resumes in January as Saints travel to Bordeaux-Bègles. The Saints then round off the group phase with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January.
The Bulls, who have one point from their opening two games, welcome Bristol 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)
