Super Rugby: Plumtree input helps Canes tame the Lions

Great defence from Cory Jane and the Hurricanes was a key to victory over the Lions yesterday. Photo / Photosport

This one had John Plumtree's fingerprints all over it.

The new Hurricanes assistant coach has picked up the defensive portfolio this season and his men tackled like they were in a video game during their victory over the Lions in Johannesburg yesterday.

It felt like they hardly touched the ball - in the first 33 minutes, they made 70 tackles, the Lions just seven - but tries to TJ Perenara and Matt Proctor plus four penalties from Beauden Barrett allowed the visitors to steal an unlikely four points.

The second thing Plumtree gave the Hurricanes in their preparation was local knowledge.

He coached the Durban-based Sharks during 2008-12 and, while names such as Warren Whiteley and Lionel Mapoe might not jump off the page, Plumtree knew what the Lions were about.

"I think Sun Tzu said, 'know your enemy' ... So to have an insight in to those guys and particularly the mentality of those players and the group collectively was certainly a big factor for us," said Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd.

He worked under Plumtree for two years with the Sharks but the roles have been reversed in the capital.

The Hurricanes showed an improved defence last year as assistant Clark Laidlaw put better systems in place but Laidlaw is in charge of attack among the backs this season and Plumtree has the defensive brief.

"He's been good," flanker Ardie Savea said of Plumtree. "He's just getting clarity with the players around what our roles are in defence and everything's going well at the moment.

"I think the boys want to take it to another level this year and, if we want to win games, we have to defend our line and defend for a long period of time."

The Lions breached the Hurricanes' line only once and didn't manage a point during the second spell, despite dominating both possession and field position.

"I wouldn't want to try to have to win games with that little territory and possession," Boyd said. "But we were chuffed that we showed good resilience."

The hosts hurt themselves as they missed three penalty attempts during the first spell, and they spurned the offer to take more points in the second as they searched for tries but their handling was poor.

The Hurricanes soaked up the pressure and their bench gave them plenty of punch with Victor Vito and Proctor producing notable cameos.

One thing Boyd wasn't happy about was the number of penalties his side conceded and it was almost as if they tried to break every rule in rugby's convoluted law book.

"Our discipline wasn't good enough," Boyd said. "We are not going to win games if we are ill-disciplined."

They will need to clean up that aspect against the Bulls in Pretoria next weekend but it's always easier to attack that with a first-up win.

Lions 8 (R. Combrinck try; M. Boshoff pen)
Hurricanes 22 (TJ Perenara, M. Proctor tries; B. Barrett 4 pens).
Halftime: 8-11.