Bulls coach Johan Ackermann used their trip to Northampton to test several fringe players but none of them really did their chances of breaking into the first team much good.

Facing last season's losing finalists, the men from Pretoria struggled to gain much momentum at any point in the game as they were constantly making needless errors.

The only thing that really kept the game close in the opening half was that Northampton were also struggling for a bit of rhythm and were unable to punish the Bulls.

Stravino Jacobs' try in the 23rd minute gave the Pretoria men some hope as it brought them right into the game, according to the scoreboard at 5-7. Unfortunately, that would prove to be the only points they would score all afternoon.

Once they had settled into proceedings, Northampton were able to take the game away from the Bulls in the second half. They scored six tries in the second 40-minute period, with Henry Pollock playing a starring hand.

The Bulls' defence has been a weak area for them all season and it proved to be the case once again at Franklin's Gardens.

Their afternoon became even more difficult in the second half when Alulutho Tshakweni was shown a yellow card for tripping Emmanuel Iyogun.

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