Bulls 21 Northampton 30

At altitude, it was Northampton who flew highest. The Saints arrived in Pretoria, at fortress Loftus Versfeld, facing the most daunting of tasks in the South African summer heat but by the end it was the Bulls who were strewn on the turf, dead on their feet, deservedly defeated by Northampton’s devastating attacking verve.

It was Tommy Freeman’s try late on – the second of two for the wing – which sealed the statement victory and secured the bonus point for Northampton, sending the Saints marching up to the top of pool three with a maximum 10 points from two matches.

Freeman’s score was the icing on the cake for Northampton but the killer blow for the Bulls came minutes earlier. After a punchy second-half South African resurgence – spearheaded by two tries from the colossal No 8, Cameron Hanekom – three points from the boot of Fin Smith settled English nerves and steadied the ship.

Smith, alongside Alex Mitchell, were impressive as a marshalling half-back duo despite the staccato nature of the match and Saints’ midfield duo, Rory Hutchinson and Fraser Dingwall, were immense against the renowned David Kriel and Canan Moodie, as Northampton condemned their hosts to their first ever Loftus Versfeld loss in the Champions Cup.

Jake White’s Bulls, third in the United Rugby Championship standings, now sit dead last in pool three, pushing up the daisies after two consecutive Champions Cup losses, leaving their qualification hopes in tatters.

The hosts only have themselves to blame, however, and Northampton’s victory owed as much to their own attacking talents as it did to South African inaccuracy and profligacy. Frustrations crept in, too, and on more than one occasion in the second half tempers frayed between the two sides; Northampton’s bench copped some vitriol from the home crowd, too.

Saints never look back after Augustus’s opening score

The Bulls had three tries ruled out – twice for obstruction and another for a knock-on – and their scrum was beastly but at no point did the hosts ever really hammer home their dominance in this area. The reverse, in fact; while Immanuel Iyogun was in the sin-bin, just before half-time – the scapegoat for Saints’ wobbling scrum – it was 14-player Northampton who scored the points.

Juarno Augustus got on the end of a sublime Mitchell snipe and offload to score just before the break and, from there, the reigning Premiership champions never never relinquished the lead.

Given Devon Williams’s opener was ruled out for a block in midfield, it was Northampton who struck first. George Furbank had to depart following a monstrous collision with Bulls captain Elrigh Louw – the Saints’ skipper trudged off with his arm in a makeshift sling – but in George Hendy Northampton had a marvellous replacement. After a cute wraparound in midfield, Smith spotted half a gap and managed to free his arms to send Hendy over.

The Bulls’ response was immediate and, despite Northampton’s defensive steel generally, the score came in soft fashion. It was a shame that it had to be the otherwise excellent Dingwall who missed the tackle, but that was all the try was. The Bulls’ blindside, Marcell Coetzee, thundered into the Saints midfield, Dingwall slipped off the tackle and off Coetzee went, with too much pace for the attempted tap-tackle of Henry Pollock, who continues to demonstrate that he is far more than a player of promise.

With Saints’ scrum dissolving under pressure and leaking a torrent of penalties, Iyogun saw yellow, but it was Northampton who seized the initiative. Mitchell darted and Augustus was on hand to give the visitors a half-time lead.

Smith added three off the tee, before Saints started to pull away. A sumptuous Mitchell 50:22 ended with Freeman scoring his first on the back of a nifty line-out move.

At that stage, Saints were cruising, with a 15-point lead, but a nervy period was to come. Hanekom’s quickfire double – first blasting over dynamically from the back of a scrum before scoring in similar fashion from the back of a ruck – cut Northampton’s lead to a solitary point, but Smith, Hutchinson and Freeman had one more trick up their sleeve.

Smith kicked three more points before he and Hutchinson wrapped cunningly around the blindside. The Scot was at first receiver and fizzed a pass to Freeman, missing out Smith, who had occupied the defence’s attention. The England wing shot down the touchline to score unopposed and the game was won.

Northampton are yet to set the Premiership alight this season but this victory, with Saracens awaiting next weekend, will do their confidence the world of good. In Europe, at least, the Saints are a perfect 10.

03:11 PM GMT

What a win

Thanks for following with us. Keep an eye on the Telegraph Sport site for news and reports from the rest of today’s Champions Cup fixtures.

03:03 PM GMT

Freeman’s second and final

02:59 PM GMT

Full time!

That’s it. Northampton win in Pretoria, at Loftus Versfeld, with a try bonus point.

Totally deserved.

02:57 PM GMT

MISSED CON SMITH: BUL 21 NOR 30

It was a real tough one but it really should not make any difference to the outcome.

02:56 PM GMT

TRY FREEMAN: BUL 21 NOR 30

They’ve done it!

Short-side attack and Hutchinson picks the perfect pass; the double-pump foxes the Bulls, the mispass - missing Smith - finds Freeman and the wing scoots away down the right wing to score.

02:54 PM GMT

75 mins: BUL 21 NOR 25

Sleightholme counters from the restart and ends up hacking ahead, into the in-goal, before having a bit of a set-to with Hanekom.

From the drop-out, Smith has a drop-goal attempt but it fades to the left.

02:52 PM GMT

PEN SMITH: BUL 21 NOR 25

What a strike! And now Saints’ lead is four.

02:50 PM GMT

72 mins: BUL 21 NOR 22

Tempers fraying here, with Pearson and Davison involved following a Northampton penalty win - for Bulls off feet at the ruck.

From 48 metres, Smith is going to have a shot at goal...

02:48 PM GMT

CON GOOSEN: BUL 21 NOR 22

Game properly on now!

02:48 PM GMT

TRY HANEKOM: BUL 19 NOR 22

He’s got another!

Another runaway score, as he carries from the back of a ruck and no Saint can stop him.

02:47 PM GMT

69 mins: BUL 14 NOR 22

A moment of madness from Smith there as he winds up for an unnecessary long pass which is a) forward and b) intercepted by Moodie!

Thankfully, Saints’ defence scrambles well but they’re going to have to defend a scrum inside their own half.

02:45 PM GMT

Freeman’s score

02:45 PM GMT

67 mins: BUL 14 NOR 22

So close for the Bulls! This is a key period. A try for the hosts and things will start getting very nervy...

Moodie and Papier combine elegantly in the midfield before Bulls go wide. Hanekom offloads out the tackle - but should he have passed earlier - but De Klerk cannot quite hold onto it out wide with the line at his mercy.

02:39 PM GMT

CON GOOSEN: BUL 14 NOR 22

The hosts cut Saints’ lead to eight.

02:39 PM GMT

TRY HANEKOM: BUL 12 NOR 22

Hello...

Game back on. Hanekom carries dynamically from the back of the scrum and he steps off his left foot, inside Mitchell, collides with the referee, and flies under the sticks.

02:35 PM GMT

CON SMITH: BUL 7 NOR 22

It’s a 15-point lead for Northampton.

02:35 PM GMT

TRY FREEMAN: BUL 7 NOR 20

Northampton are pulling away here!

Langdon wraps around the back of a line-out and he puts a pass to Freeman in the seam between line-out and back division. The Saints’ decoy is enough to open the gap and the wing finishes smartly.

02:34 PM GMT

59 mins: BUL 7 NOR 20

A stunning 50:22 from Mitchell!

On the back foot, in his own half, and he puts it within four metres of the Bulls line.

What a platform for the Saints.

02:33 PM GMT

PEN SMITH: BUL 7 NOR 15

Straight through the middle. And maybe Northampton can dare to dream now.

02:32 PM GMT

55 mins: BUL 7 NOR 12

Pearson carries like a truck into Goosen and the fly-half plays the ball on the floor so Smith will have a shot to make it a two-score lead. And it’s a pretty straightforward one, too.

02:29 PM GMT

55 mins: BUL 7 NOR 12

Klopper, on for Wilco Louw, has caught his team-mate’s bug.

With the Bulls five metres from the Saints’ line, the tighthead knocks on.

Saints escape with a scrum; Bull’s handling errors are into double figures now.

02:28 PM GMT

NO TRY: BUL 7 NOR 12

There is separation between hand and ball and Ramos rules the score out.

It’s another ruled out for the Bulls. But they had a penalty advantage - and now they’re tapping and going.

02:26 PM GMT

TRY LE ROUX: BUL 12 NOR 12

Goosen chips over the Saints defence and both Moodie and Le Roux are in hot pursuit. Both ground the ball simultaneously over the line, with no visiting player in sight.

Did they get it down? The try has been given but we’re going up to the TMO...

02:25 PM GMT

48 mins: BUL 7 NOR 12

Augustus is caught offside so Goosen sticks the ball into the corner...

02:23 PM GMT

48 mins: BUL 7 NOR 12

Mayanavanua, take a bow!

The Bulls manage to work through a few phases - a rarity this afternoon - but Saints’ big second row smashes Wilco Louw and the tighthead knocks on again. Louw excellent at the scrum but in the loose not so much...

Saints hold out and clear. Iyogun is back on now, incidentally.

02:19 PM GMT

46 mins: BUL 7 NOR 12

Scrum free-kick to the Bulls; if Saints win this with their scrum as it is it will be a mighty achievement.

The hosts tap and go... but Pollock gets over Hanekom to win a jackal penalty of his own.

02:16 PM GMT

44 mins: BUL 7 NOR 12

Another sloppy error by the Bulls in attack. Wilco Louw knocks on running a hard line off Goosen and Saints will put in on their 22-metre line.

02:15 PM GMT

42 mins: BUL 7 NOR 12

Not the most auspicious of starts from the Bulls, with Goosen throwing an optimistic pass to Le Roux, who spills

Davison is on for Millar-Mills for Saints, to try and shore up that scrum.

It looks stronger but there is danger for Saints! Le Roux threads through a vicious kick into the Northampton in-goal area and Freeman just about holds off Williams to dot down.

But back come the Bulls off the drop-out...

02:12 PM GMT

The sides are back out...

... and Smith will get us back under way.

02:04 PM GMT

Augustus’s score

02:00 PM GMT

Half-time: BUL 7 NOR 12

It was not the greatest half in the heat, at altitude but Northampton will be ecstatic with that half-time scoreline in what has been a bitty, staccato match.

The Saints have scored two excellent tries - through Hendy and Augustus - and defended admirably in the face of a Bulls barrage. One soft missed tackle cost them one try.

Worries for the visitors? Furbank departing in a makeshift sling and the scrum is under real pressure. Iyogun remains in the sin-bin owing to Saints’ woes.

01:57 PM GMT

CON SMITH: BUL 7 NOR 12

That’s more like it from Fin! He smashes the ball over from wide on the left to end the half.

01:57 PM GMT

TRY AUGUSTUS: BUL 7 NOR 10

Fourteen-man Northampton with the sucker-punch before half-time!

Coetzee flies off his feet at a counter-ruck and Mitchell does not hang about. The scrum-half taps quickly and finds Langdon, who takes the attack to within 10 metres.

Mitchell snipes again from the ruck and frees his arms to offload to Augustus who flies over the score.

01:54 PM GMT

YELLOW CARD IYOGUN: BUL 7 NOR 5

The referee has lost patience with the Saints scrum and Iyogun is given 10 minutes.

01:53 PM GMT

38 mins: BUL 7 NOR 5

Bulls drop the restart and compound the error by conceding a scrum penalty.

Saints go to the corner. Freeman darts first phase and Northampton get to within five metres but Lockett knocks on on a short line.

01:50 PM GMT

CON GOOSEN: BUL 7 NOR 5

The conversion is good and the hosts lead.

01:50 PM GMT

TRY COETZEE: BUL 5 NOR 5

Really soft.

It’s one missed tackle in the midfield - Dingwall, I think - and the blindside outpaces Pollock’s attempted tap-tackle to skate away and score.

The hosts will now lead.

01:47 PM GMT

MISSED CON SMITH: BUL 0 NOR 5

Oh that’s sloppy from Smith. That was a sitter.

01:47 PM GMT

TRY HENDY: BUL 0 NOR 5

Hendy’s only just come on!

That’s a huge moment for the Saints, who have soaked up tonnes of pressure.

Smith, Hutchinson and Dingwall combine beautifully in midfield before the fly-half spots a gap, makes a half break, and offloads out the tackle for Hendy to score.

In a flash!

01:44 PM GMT

30 mins: BUL 0 NOR 0

Elrigh Louw has absolutely melted Furbank there. The Saints skipper is having to depart with his arm in a makeshift sling. Let’s hope he’s ok.

01:43 PM GMT

29 mins: BUL 0 NOR 0

Saints hold out at the scrum but the Bulls try and unleash the backs.

Furbank took a massive collision and looks to be struggling; so, too, Williams.

Although there’s no rest for the wicked as the left wing chases Goosen’s speculative cross-kick but the ball beats him into touch.

Saints throw in on their own five-metre.

01:39 PM GMT

28 mins: BUL 0 NOR 0

Some nice touches from the Bulls as Van der Merwe bursts clear in midfield with Elrigh Louw involved, too.

Saints fly off their feet at the ruck and it’s a penalty just outside the visitors’ 22.

Bulls opt for the scrum; hold onto your hats...

01:36 PM GMT

25 mins: BUL 0 NOR 0

Bulls get the ball over the line but referee Ramos thinks there’s obstruction at the maul.

Another let-off for Northampton - but they’re hanging in there.

01:35 PM GMT

25 mins: BUL 0 NOR 0

Scrum penalty to Bulls. I think that’s the fourth now...

Furbank is being called over by the referee. Saints need to sort their scrum woes out - quickly.

And Le Roux has found a magnificent touch from the penalty. Trouble for the Saints...

01:32 PM GMT

23 mins: BUL 0 NOR 0

That’s a handy kick from Williams on the left wing, dinking a kick from the outside of his boot into touch inside the Saints 22.

A 50:22, so Bulls throw in. Again, the Bulls try to find some rhythm, with Van der Merwe and Le Roux carrying, but Sleightholme comes up with the turnover.

Northampton clear up field and will throw in inside the hosts’ half.

01:27 PM GMT

20 mins: BUL 0 NOR 0

Northampton try to find some attacking rhythm but they are done on the floor again, Coetzee winning the jackal turnover.

And Bulls are off! Papier and Kriel tear through the midfield as Bulls enter the Saints 22.

Le Roux steps in at first receiver as Bulls threaten, but Louw knocks on in midfield.

There’s a water break now but it would be fair to say that this game is yet to set alight, despite the hot conditions.

01:23 PM GMT

18 mins: BUL 0 NOR 0

Scrum free-kick to the Saints!

They will be pleased with that but these scrums are a mess currently.

01:22 PM GMT

16 mins: BUL 0 NOR 0

Another scrum penalty to the Bulls. The third in 13 minutes.

Northampton are clinging on here. Van der Merwe gets to within a metre from a line-out move around the front.

Then, Goosen, with the line at his mercy, inexplicably knocks on. It was easier to score than not!

Northampton to put in on their own five-metre line.

01:19 PM GMT

13 mins: BUL 0 NOR 0

Scrum free-kick to the Blues and Goosen launches it into the atmosphere.

Sleightholme cannot gather but there’s a knock-on from the South Africans so Saints will put in.

01:18 PM GMT

12 mins: BUL 0 NOR 0

Great defence from Northampton.

Kriel drops Le Roux’s pass inside the Saints’ 22 and Hutchinson pounces on the loose ball and hacks up field to the Bulls’ 22.

Dingwall carries hard but there’s another Hanekom turnover - sensational - and the opportunity goes begging for Northampton.

Bulls look to counter but there’s some handbags. Ramos stops the game. Pollock was involved...

01:15 PM GMT

NO TRY: BUL 0 NOR 0

There’s some obstruction in midfield by Le Roux and the referee, Luc Ramos, rules it out!

We go back for the Bulls’ scrum penalty, which they kick to the corner...

01:12 PM GMT

Hang on...

... we’re going upstairs to check the try.

Sounds like obstruction but Papier’s pass looked iffy, too.

01:12 PM GMT

CON GOOSEN: BUL 7 NOR 0

A gorgeous strike from Goosen and it’s a full seven-pointer.

01:11 PM GMT

TRY WILLIAMS: BUL 5 NOR 0

No question about that scrum from the Bulls - a monster!

With Saints retreating, Papier darts and flings the Hail Mary over to Williams, with the wing finishing easily in the corner.

All too easy that one.

01:09 PM GMT

6 min: BUL 0 NOR 0

It’s a little telegraphed and pedestrian from Northampton, who take some heavy collisions in midfield.

Coles carries but he’s a little isolated and Hanekom is on him like a rash, winning the jackal penalty.

01:07 PM GMT

4 min: BUL 0 NOR 0

Scrum penalty to the Bulls!

Iyogun penalised for collapsing but it looked a little unfortunate. The loosehead got the shunt on and just lost his feet.

Bulls go to the corner but they cough up a penalty at the maul and Saints clear.

01:05 PM GMT

2 min: BUL 0 NOR 0

Langdon’s a lucky boy!

After a smart phase attack from the Bulls - Goosen pulling the strings and Hanekom involved - the fly-half looks for an inside ball. Langdon goes for the one-handed interception attempt and knocks on.

Scrum only. Could have been a penalty...

01:03 PM GMT

Kick-off!

Goosen gets us under way and Mitchell clears immediately.

01:01 PM GMT

Tom Voyce

There is a minute’s silence to remember the former Gloucester, Bath and Wasps wing who passed away this week. So sad.

01:01 PM GMT

The teams are on the way out

Where’s your money? In the heat and the altitude, I’m going with the Bulls narrowly.

But it should be a cracker.

12:55 PM GMT

Confirmed line-ups

Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 David Kriel, 11 Devon Williams, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier; 1 Gerhard Steenekamp, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 3 Wilco Louw, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 5 JF van Heerden, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 7 Elrigh Louw (c), 8 Cameron Hanekom. 

Replacements: 16 Jan-hendrik Wessels, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Deon Slabbert, 20 Kuyenzeka Nama Xaba, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Boeta Chamberlain, 23 Stedman Gans.

Northampton: 15 George Furbank, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Fraser Dingwall, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell, 1 Emmanuel Iyogun, 2 Curtis Langdon, 3 Elliot Millar Mills, 4 Temo Mayanavanua, 5 Tom Lockett, 6 Alex Coles, 7 Henry Pollock, 8 Juarno Augustus.

Replacements: 16 Craig Wright, 17 Tarek Haffar, 18 Trevor Davison, 19 Chunya Munga, 20 Angus Scott-Young, 21 Tom Pearson, 22 Archie McParland, 23 George Hendy.

12:50 PM GMT

Match preview

Northampton travel to Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria this afternoon to face Bulls in what will be the pair’s first meeting in South Africa.

Last season’s meeting between the pair ended in a resounding 59-22 win for the Saints at Franklin’s Gardens but expectations of a similarly dominant display this time appear far-fetched.

George Furbank returns to Saints’ line-up after a week’s rest to captain his side this afternoon and said: “You don’t really get to play South African teams very often and it’s a new challenge.

“The fact we get to be here for a week and hopefully put on a performance on a Saturday is exciting.

“You’re playing against a team who have got multiple double World Cup winners and it’s definitely a step up from that Premiership level.

“It’s a good experience and one where you’ve got to take your game to the next level.”

Full team news coming next.