Northampton Saints’ utility back George Hendy explained that the side’s hunt for silverware starts with a tough trip away to Exeter Chiefs this weekend in the PREM Rugby Cup semi-final.
After four bonus-point wins in a row in the competition, Saints secured themselves a spot in the Cup semi-finals for the first time since 2023, with victory at the weekend potentially earning them a home final next Sunday.
“Exeter have been strong in this competition,” Hendy explained.
“You can never win enough as a player at any level; we want to bring it home in two weeks’ time, but that starts this weekend.”
Hendy was Saints’ man-of-the-moment in the dramatic last-minute victory over Saracens last weekend, providing a crucial assist and then final try in a 16-minute cameo from the bench that ultimately won the game in front of a sold-out cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.
“As 16-minute cameos go, it was good fun!” Hendy continued. “The game didn’t go entirely as planned, but we did a lot of good things, and it was great to come away with the result.
“You just kind of see a gap, and it’s what you train to do. I just pinned my ears back, Hutch got the first one, and then I was lucky enough to finish off the second.
“Nothing compares to that feeling, nothing I’ve ever experienced. I haven’t heard the noise at cinch Stadium like that for a while.
“Recently, in the PREM and Europe, we’ve had good wins at home, but coming back from behind in the final play against Saracens was pretty special. I just remember looking up at the cinch Stand and seeing everyone go mental. It was a pretty cool feeling.
“Every time you get to score is a special occasion, having all your mates around you, but that one was extra special, topped off by Pater doing what he does to win the game.”
Last Saturday’s result at cinch Stadium marked the eighth sell-out of the season at cinch Stadium, including two in the PREM Rugby Cup competition, and Hendy believes it is down to popularity of this current squad and winning culture that the men in Black, Green and Gold have built.
“We’ve had sellout after sellout this season,” the 23-year-old added. “I think part of that is credit to this group. A lot of the time, the PREM Cup can be that opportunity for lads coming back from injury and young lads proving themselves for the first time in a Saints shirt, like Jack Lewis or Charlie Ulcoq stepping up.
“But this year we also have a lot of lads who want to play every week, and that combination of young and experienced lads makes it a special group that people want to come and watch.”