Get back to basics, Mexted tells Hurricanes

BY TOBY ROBSON

Former All Blacks No 8 Murray Mexted has questioned the Hurricanes' tactical nous and says they must get back to some old-fashioned basics to get their Super 14 season back on track.

The Hurricanes will limp back into Wellington at midnight tonight, having come back with just one competition point from three matches and win-less in the republic for the fourth time in the team's history.

Coach Colin Cooper's side has dropped from second to eighth on the Super 14 points table, Saturday morning's 19-18 loss to the Bulls their third on the trot.

The Hurricanes produced a champion defensive effort in Pretoria to restore some pride and confidence, but continued to struggle against the rolling maul and under the high ball.

Both areas require urgent attention before the Hurricanes play the Sharks in Wellington this Saturday.

Mexted has been an interested observer in recent weeks and believes the Hurricanes are over-complicating their tactics in defending the lineout drive.

"It's not new. This is just a return of the maul," he said yesterday. "It looked to me like they should be doing the things that have been successful in the past. It's pretty easy to remember.

"You compete aggressively at lineout time so they can't take the ball cleanly with two hands, that's No 1. No 2, if they do, you sack them immediately before the maul is formed and before they can get a rolling maul going. And three, you have to muscle up. That's the only way to do it because you can't walk away."

The Hurricanes have tried exactly that, unsuccessfully, in the past two weeks, not engaging the opposition maul in a bid to have them called off side for "truck and trailer".

Against the Bulls, it backfired with blindside Victor Vito sinbinned with 20 minutes to go after coming back in to sack the maul.

Mexted believes the Hurricanes can still reach the Super 14 semifinals saying "they did bloody well against the Bulls", but only if the option-taking and basic skills improve. "I wonder watching them play how much strategic nous they have. In the backs especially they lack strategic understanding at times. When Conrad Smith's not playing especially, they look short of tactical awareness.

"And I think some of the players have been found wanting under the high ball. That was obvious in the past two weeks with our wingers. David Smith must go away and get that right. He's not picked to kick, but he has to be able to catch the ball and [Alapati] Leiua is the same.

"There's not as much kicking as last year because of the rules, but it's still part of the core skills required for professional backs."

On that note, wing Hosea Gear, who has been out of action since having knee surgery following the opening match of the season, is expected to resume training with the side this week and may be in consideration to play the Sharks.

Cooper may also face a tough selection call at halfback between Piri Weepu and Tyson Keats after the latter's strong showing against the Bulls.

Other positives included far more assertive ball carrying in the pack where No 8 Rodney So'oialo, Vito, and locks Jeremy Thrush and Michael Paterson impressed and a return to form for Ma'a Nonu in the midfield.

- © Fairfax NZ News