Photos: Super 14 kicks offKEY POINTS:
Rugby's revolution has apparently changed everything and nothing.
That was the view of both the Blues and Chiefs coaches after their season opener was played at an astonishing pace in which the ball went from end to end in passages of play that had the big men in obvious discomfort trying to keep up.
Yet, despite the game feeling more fluid, more frenetic and less structured, David Nucifora and Ian Foster are sure the same basic philosophies still apply.
"Our aim was to beat the Chiefs physically first," said Nucifora. "We went down to Hamilton last year with the attitude that we were not going to be beaten up by them.
"That was the same attitude we had tonight. We had to take them on and beat them physically first. It is only when you beat the Chiefs physically that you can start to think about opening up. The basic premise of this game has stayed the same.
"You still have to be strong and organised at set piece and you still have to defend well."
Foster took much the same view, although his utterances were made with a tinge of frustration as his side fell short on many of the basics.
His forwards didn't get stuck in as they needed to do and there has to be a worry that his pack lacks the mobility and athleticism the new rules seem to require.
There will obviously be concern, too, that yet another campaign has opened with a loss, although he wasn't letting on how bothered he was, even at this early stage.
"It's the same process you go through during the week whether you win or lose. We would prefer to be coming into our next game on the back of a win but we'll work out what we need to work on and improve.
"I think the good thing about these new rules is that they maintain the integrity of the core values."
