Rugby: Canes win with structure despite lapses

Ma'a Nonu is tackled by Wikus van Heerden of the Lions. Photo / Getty Images

Hurricanes: 38

Lions: 27

Structure in rugby often seems a strange concept, given that the modern game has wandered far from its roots of tight play to a version where the ball is in use for many more minutes than the old days.

Structure is supposed to be the big bone of contention at the 'Canes - with coach Mark Hammett wanting more and many of the players, some senior, allegedly wanting to trip the light fantastic, as they always have.

They win some; lose some and have, over the years, built a reputation for the franchise as spirited losers.

On their day, they can beat anyone, but such days are harder to find in today's game which - though it looks less regimented - is still based on discipline and percentages, as the stats tell us every week.

For the first quarter of this match, you could see what Hammett is on about.

The Hurricanes scored first when first five-eighth Aaron Cruden danced past some weak defence from opposite Elton Jantjes and showed good strength to score in tackles.

If the 'Canes had approached this match with structure in mind, such thoughts were dismantled as quickly as detaching a couple of Lego bricks.

Hurricanes winger Alapati Leuia made some exciting runs and flanker Faifili Levave thumped a few South Africans down in jolting tackles. But they got a bit excited. Runs went unsupported, passes were thrown behind team-mates and handling errors blossomed as the 'Canes threw structure to the wind and went for the spontaneous.

The Lions - who do have structure and are far from the easybeats of past years - just kept plugging away in defence, got close enough for the Hurricanes to offend in the rucks and Jantjes kicked the goals.

Then came one of those moments which plague teams which are not functioning well.

Lions fullback Jaco Taute kicked ahead on a raid.

It looked as if it had flown too far and would be easily gobbled up by the five or six Hurricanes defenders. But the ball took an awkward bounce and Hosea Gear had one of those moments that he will hope the All Black selectors don't see.

He failed to claim the ball, even allowing for the bounce, and Taute nipped in to score an embarrassing try.

Defence is a big part of "structure" on a rugby field and the 'Canes' was sadly lacking when centre Doppies La Grange scored their second try not long afterwards, crashing over in the tackle.

Finally, the Hurricanes got their attacking harmonies together; a previously quiet Ma'a Nonu scattered the Lions defence and Gear atoned by scoring under the bar.

At 20-15 at halftime, the game was still open but, even though the Lions have more teeth this year, you couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with the Hurricanes.

In the second half, they were a lot more, well, structured ... Gone were the silly errors, they muscled up well at the breakdowns and in defence. The penalties came and then Cruden cleverly put Nonu under the bar with a pass that took him into the gap.

The dam burst then. Nonu offloaded cleverly in the tackle - eat your heart out, Sonny Bill - to put Gear in again and the Lions were effectively de-fanged. Taute scored his second as the Lions pushed hard at the end but, at 38-20, the game was gone.

Cruden did well, scoring 23 points and running the show smoothly once that first 20 minutes was out of the way. He continues to develop.

All Black watchers will have been interested to see a solid, if unspectacular, performance from Piri Weepu at halfback - and Gear showed his attacking prowess outweighs any defensive lapses.

But how much better if the 'Canes had done the hard work to begin with ... building the structure. Maybe next year.

Hurricanes 38
A. Cruden, H. Gear 2, M. Nonu tries; Cruden 3 cons, 4 pens

Lions 27
J. Taute 2, D. La Grange tries; E. Jantjes con, 2 pens; B. James con

Halftime: 15-20