KEY POINTS:
Santa relies on his little helpers - a legion of elves keeping the grotto shipshape - and Sanzar are now leaning on their own ELVs to get them through the Super 14.
The Experimental Law Variations will start the third season of the Super 14 as the topic
dominating rugby discussion in the Southern Hemisphere.
New Zealand coaches have offered a range of optimistic viewpoints about the rule changes after early trial matches with the Crusaders and Wallaby coach-in-waiting Robbie Deans perhaps the most enthusiastic.
The experimental laws were devised because of the growing dominance of defences, confusion at the breakdown, time-wasting and the desire to increase the entertainment package for players and spectators.
The Wallabies World Cup winning coach Rod Macqueen helped frame the changes with Pierre Villepreux, Richie Dixon and Ian McIntosh and, under the control of the IRB's referees manager Paddy O'Brien, they were tested at Stellenbosch University in South Africa.
The laws were further appraised in competitions in Scotland, Australia and New Zealand with a consensus that matches were faster, shots at goal were reduced, and defences were challenged more because players were able to be more inventive on attack.
Sanzar agreed to use a limited ELVs version during the Super 14 but the All Blacks will have to return to the "old laws" for their domestic June tests against Ireland and England.
Unions' feedback about the ELVs will be presented to the IRB in November and if any or all are accepted they will be used for a further year before they can become law at the end of 2009.
The New Zealand Rugby Union is briefing the media next week about the law changes, but until we've seen them in use at the top level, their full impact will remain a mystery.
THE HANDBOOK
A layman's understanding, condensed, of the ELVs gleaned from watching a Blues trial game and catching up on some of the other literature.
* Penalties will be awarded only for offside, foul play including repeated offences and not entering through the "gate" at the tackle. All other offences will earn a free kick.
* Touch judges have been given extended roles to assist referees by judging offsides, while the corner and in-goal posts have been moved 2m back from the touchline.
* If a ball is passed or taken back into the 22 area and then kicked out on the full, the lineout will form in line from where the ball was kicked.
* Sides do not need equal numbers in the lineout, and on a quick throw-in, the ball can be thrown straight or backwards towards the defenders' goal line, but not forward towards the opposition goal line.
* Once a tackle is made, there is an immediate offside line while the halfback cannot be touched unless he has his hands on the ball. Players involved in the breakdown area must be on their feet and must enter through the gate and if the ball becomes unplayable, the defending side will earn a free kick.
* If a maul becomes unplayable, the side defending the start of the maul receives a free kick.
* The offside line for backs other than the halfback at a scrum is 5m behind the last man's feet.
