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Hore does a 'Vettori'

For a team that had won and claimed a four-try bonus point, the Hurricanes looked a little downcast when walking off the field at Westpac Stadium following their 33-18 Super 14 win against the Lions.

Sunday, 28 February 2010

Sportal.co.nz

For a team that had won and claimed a four-try bonus point, the Hurricanes looked a little downcast when walking off the field at Westpac Stadium following their 33-18 Super 14 win against the Lions.

Tries to flanker Michael Paterson, halfback Piri Weepu, hooker Andrew Hore and wing David Smith ensured the Hurricanes took all five points from the game to maintain their perfect start to the season.

But coach Colin Cooper was far from impressed by his side's mixed performance and their lack of discipline which earned second five-eighths Ma'a Nonu a spell in the sinbin in the second half for repeated infringements by the team.

"We won and we got a bonus point so we've got to be happy with that," he said.

"But the set piece needs work and there were too many penalties. I think there were 14 against us and it's hard to build your game when you keep giving the ball back."

The two sides were penalised heavily by referee Paul Marks and the frustration around some of his decisions - particularly around the breakdown - was evident from both teams.

"I really felt the breakdown wasn't officiated as well as what it should have been," said Lions coach Dick Muir. "We couldn't get fast ball from it.

"Consistency, that's what we look for as players and I just didn't feel there was any of that.

"But we've got to move on. We've got the Brumbies next week and we've got to soldier on."

Hurricanes skipper Hore lamented his team-mates' inability to adapt to Marks' interpretations but also the fact the contest at the breakdown appears to be disappearing under the stringent application of the rules being adopted by the officials this season.

"The guy on the ground has got to get right out of it. There is more emphasis on the second two in there to blow past the ruck," he explained.

"The game last week that the Lions played in was sort of like touch there for a while where no-one was putting people into the breakdown.

"It's good to watch if you want tries but rugby is about the breakdown, scrum and lineout and it would be pretty disappointing if the breakdown contest has gone all together."

He continued: "We've talked about how some of the great sevens around the country have got into teams for doing what they do and now their sole job has been taken away from them.

"It's a big adjustment for them and hopefully we can do it and get some good clean rugby in the rounds to come."

The Lions stuck to their usual high-tempo attacking game plan but were let down by some poor finishing with either bad handling or passing resulting in at least three opportunities going begging.

Their first try saw flanker Derick Minnie driven over from a five metre lineout midway through the first half.

Two minutes into the second spell impressive No 8 Todd Clever powered his way over the line and for other periods of the game they had the Hurricanes on the back foot but just couldn't make it count.

"I thought the guys created a lot of opportunities and we just didn't round off those opportunities," said Muir. "We slipped some tackles at some crucial stages and I thought the game was a lot closer than the scoreline reflected."

Hore's try - the Hurricanes' third - was a typical example of poor defending, the hooker charging through four would-be tacklers before throwing a subtle dummy and diving over.

"It was just all the speed work and vision [coming together]," he joked.

"I thought the team needed a lift and I took the ball on. I took a leaf out of Daniel Vettori's book and said 'give me the ball and I'll sort it'."

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