KEY POINTS:
Blues hooker Derren Witcombe is withholding judgment on rugby's new scrum engagement law until a few more weeks of the Super 14.
Witcombe is in the frontline of the change, in which the two front rows have to come within an arm's length before making the hit.
The
rule has been a talking point, and Witcombe's skipper at the Blues, Troy Flavell, agreed with a suggestion that the closer gap could make it easier for the side not putting in to disrupt possession.
"A lot of teams are looking to hit and chase," Flavell said.
"It is hard for the hooker to get his leg up and strike it and when the hooker lifts his leg it lets off a lot of pressure. It's going to be disruptive sometimes."
However, Witcombe wanted to give the change a good shakedown period before coming to his own conclusions.
"They've made this rule and you just have to accept it," he said.
"It's only week three. We just have to work with the referee on the night and keep learning. But I don't like commenting until we give it good shot and see from there."
What Witcombe is certain about is that the rule, which was brought in for safety reasons, would not have prevented the neck injury that almost ended his career in 2005.
Playing for Auckland in an unsuccessful Ranfurly Shield match against Canterbury, he was crushed as a scrum twisted and collapsed on him.
The incident, which ruled him out of the All Blacks' Grand Slam tour in a year in which he had made his test debut and went on to win five caps, meant surgery and lengthy rehabilitation.
He returned in time for last season's Air New Zealand Cup and he said it felt "awesome" to be playing Super rugby again.
"What's better is that it's a great feeling to be in the team," he said.
"Everyone gets on with each other. I'm thrilled."
While he had recovered from the injury, Witcombe said it hadn't been totally forgotten.
"I still get the odd position in a game when I think about it," he said.
"But I don't hold back. You have to get into it."
With the World Cup now just months away, Witcombe faces a tough task in forcing his way back into the reckoning for the journey to France.
Barring injury, Blues teammate Keven Mealamu, Anton Oliver and Andrew Hore, who are all in the All Black conditioning group, look to be the first options for the hooking berths.
But Witcombe, 28, said he "would be lying" if he denied he had World Cup ambitions.
"It's a goal of mine, I would love to be going there," he said.
"But I just want to focus on the Super 14 first. If I'm enjoying this season, then I'm going all right. So hopefully, I'll enjoy the whole season and we'll see what happens."
- NZPA
