George Hendy bagged himself an impressive four tries in Saints’ 14-try haul on Friday night, which equalled the highest number they had ever managed in a league match in the barmy 94-33 dismantling of Bristol Bears.
Hendy opened the scoring at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens before the three-minute mark when Henry Pollock fired a pass out wide to the winger, who set the tone for the evening.
The men in Black, Green and Gold went on to score 61 first-half points, the most scored before half-time by any side in the Gallagher PREM to date, with Rory Hutchinson, Callum Chick, Alex Coles, George Furbank, Josh Kemeny and Archie McParland all crossing the whitewash as well.
“It was a mental game to play in,” Hendy explained. “It was about as tiring to play as it probably looked. I think we didn't force anything too much. We were all on the same page and stayed alive in every moment.
It was an attacking pandemonium from Saints, with the try-scoring fest continuing in the second half as Pollock went over just two minutes in. McParland crossed again soon after, while Hendy completed his quadruple either side of a powerful effort from Sam Graham, as Saints racked up the record-breaking 94 points.
“We were really direct when we needed to be,” the winger continued. “We were playing to space really well, we were putting it in behind them, turning them, putting pressure on them, making them exit, like we did all the things that we talk about doing.
“For somebody who’s new to the game, it probably looks like Harlem Globetrotter stuff, but we felt in control the whole time, regardless of how it looked, and I think that’s how tight we are as a group, and what can happen when we’re firing.”
The victory secures Saints’ spot in the league’s play-offs with two matches to spare, with eyes now firmly set on securing a home semi-final- and Hendy believes the impressive performance comes in response to last weekend’s disappointing loss at Leicester Tigers.
“I think we were always going to get an explosive reaction,” he added. “But I think none of us expected it to be to this extent.
“We’ll have a look at some of our defensive stuff again, because Bristol still scored 33 points, and in a closer game, that can matter. So, we’ll have a look at that and see where we can get better.”