"The (Mitre 10 Cup) happens over such a compressed period of time. You come together and usually have two to three weeks together of full on preparation with all your Super Rugby players and then you go for it.
"It is a high-pressured, difficult competition in such a limited time to get everything working and playing well."
Significant changes to the rules at the breakdown will be used in this year's Mitre 10 Cup in the interests of player safety and clarifying the breakdown interpretation.
Laws 15 and 16 that cover the tackle and ruck respectively have been amended.
The key message is that players stay on their feet for the duration of the breakdown, do not use their hands at the breakdown and do not contest the ball on the ground like Richie McCaw did in his pomp.
The attacking side is definitely at an advantage and quick ruck ball will speed the game up.
Thursday night's opening match between North Harbour and Counties Manukau showed how much cleaner the breakdown was, with Tauranga referee Shane McDermott having to blow far fewer penalties and give less instructions at the breakdown.
Eight provincial unions - Bay of Plenty, North Harbour, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman and Waikato - used the law trials during their premier club rugby seasons.
Bay of Plenty coach Clayton McMillan says the new laws have worked "in raising the body height of everybody at the breakdown, which makes it a lot safer and also a lot cleaner and easier to referee".
"From a spectator's point of view, once you get your head around the rules it is a little bit more black and white and not so grey.
"All the unions that elected to adopt the rules in club rugby were hoping to gain an advantage having played them through a club season.
"I certainly think there will be a small advantage for teams over the first couple of weeks as they are the sort of things that take a long time to adjust to."
