The Blues do not expect any weird and whacky laws to filter into the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition but Leon MacDonald is preparing for significant longer term change to the future of the New Zealand game.
World Rugby's medical group has proposed scrapping scrum re-sets, upright tackles and suggested teamsshould change their jerseys, headgear and wash their hands at half time in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus once the game returns.
One leading coach who sent the full report to the Herald described the recommendations as laughable, particularly given 10-15 scrums would still take place during each match. Mauls and rucks all involve the same face-to-face contact involved in upright tackles, too.
Thankfully Blues coach MacDonald brushed aside the possibility that these measures would make their way into the New Zealand only Super Rugby Aotearoa competition which kicks off on June 13.
With New Zealand exhibiting 22 active coronavirus cases, the World Rugby report may be more relevant for countries such as England where the virus is far from contained. Even then, the measures seem more pertinent to safety than mitigating contamination.
"If you're going to play the game you've got to do it properly," MacDonald said as the Blues progresses towards their return against the Hurricanes at Eden Park with an internal hit-out set down for the end of next week. "We're taking good precautions.
The squad comes together during the Blues rugby training session at Alexandra Park. 14 January 2020. New Zealand Herald photograph by Nick Winter.
"We've changed our meeting room so we can have the appropriate spacing and wherever possible we'll adhere to the safety recommendations but once you get on the grass and start tackling you've got to be ready to play. It's a tough competition we're going into so we've got to be contact ready.
"It's business as usual for us. We probably would have had a directive by now if there was going to be no scrums. We're expecting everything to look like rugby when we resume."
MacDonald confirmed the five rotating New Zealand referees would place a strong emphasis on enforcing the breakdown and often-flaunted offside laws which should make for a more entertaining spectacle.
"They're the same rules we've always had but they're going to be a lot stricter. Offside has been a focus point for us anyway so if we don't get that right we're going to find out the hard way."
While not at the coalface of the Super Rugby Aratipu review, MacDonald reiterated expectations that the initial 10-week, eight game local derby competition will next year broaden out to include Australia and possibly a team from the Pacific Islands, with potential cross-over games involving Japanese sides also on the table.
"Everyone is rethinking everything at the moment and now is the time. It's a chance for everyone to chuck out the old set of rules and look at what the future looks like.
"I'm sure NZ Rugby will be doing that. Some of it might be forced through border restrictions. What the next 12 months looks like, who knows? It depends if we're stuck in our bubble for a while.
Joe Marchant of the Blues makes a break during the round 3 Super Rugby match between the Blues and the Crusaders at Eden Park on February 14, 2020. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
"The obvious and simple solution is something pretty local with Australia potentially and maybe someone else pretty close by.
"At the moment we're trying not to dwell on the what ifs and maybes. We've being doing that for eight weeks in the lockdown and now we've got some certainty with a start date."
Traditional struggles against New Zealand opposition tempers expectations around the Blues, somewhat, though there is a sense they have turned a corner after winning five of their first seven games this season prior to the shutdown – a run which included their away victory over the Hurricanes.
Physically and mentally, all players and coaches will be pushed to the brink.
"It's going to be pretty close to test match intensity week after week so if you've got aspirations to become an All Black this is a bit of a taste of what that's going to be like. It's going to test us and see where we're at as a group."
The Blues' trump card now is, of course, Beauden Barrett. Fresh off his Bronco fitness test record, the All Blacks playmaker looked sharp running the cutter and putting in cross-field kicks at his new side's Alexandra Park base.
MacDonald is clearly enthused at the prospect of unleashing Barrett's attacking brilliance for the first time.
"He's a student of the game. He does his homework. He's thorough. He likes to know his role and everyone around him. His preparation is meticulous. The way he prepares his body and kicks – he's a real pro. He knows what he needs to do to perform. Ma'a [Nonu] was like that last year for us. Beauden spends as much time in the books as he does on the grass. The young guys are learning from that so you can't put a figure on that mental shift."
