Hendy Hat-Trick as Eight-Try Northampton Rout Pretoria Bulls

George Hendy bagged a triple as the Saints secured maximum points from their opening two European games with an eight-try hammering of Pretoria.

Sleightholme crossed twice and Pollock scored the bonus point try before the hour mark as a commanding Saints team ran riot in the latter period.

The visitors were still in the game with the score fourteen-five at the interval but a sin-binning to forward Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved decisive and they did not score a point in the second half.

England fly-half Fin Smith added 10 points with the boot as Saints went top of their pool on superior points difference from holders Bordeaux-Bègles 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 hoped for a better start as they look to improve on that this season.

Pretoria's number ten Kade Wolhuter missed an early shot at goal before the hosts took the lead when Pollock made a break before feeding Sleightholme who showed his pace to race clear to the try line.

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

Shortly after, Northampton had their second as fast passing from Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Smith put George Hendy over in the corner to make it fourteen to five at the break.

Northampton were dominant in both ball and field position and were being aided from the opposition fly-half Kade Wolhuter who twice missed touch with penalty kicks to reinvite pressure onto the away side.

That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the creator, darting inside to wrong-foot the onrushing defense before sending a sweet grubber kick over the line for Hendy to collect his second try and Northampton's 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 just prior by the Saints player but the incident from the Northampton substitute was ruled accidental 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 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 Northampton in the final minute.

Rematch of Last Season'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 January as Northampton head to Bordeaux. The Saints then round off the group phase with a home game against the Scarlets on 18 January.

The Bulls, who have a single point from two matches, host Bristol 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)