KEY POINTS:
A four-second process has kept New Zealand's forward packs guessing for hours - and the International Rugby Board's new scrum safety measure is clearly still a work in progress.
The new four-stage process, designed to reduce neck injuries, promises to test the patience of players and fans when it is showcased for the start of the Super 14 at Eden Park on Friday night.
New Zealand's five franchises have already got to grips with the machinations of the changes and have experienced varying degrees of success and frustration.
After last Thursday's trial between the Chiefs and Blues in Rotorua, one Waikato back lamented "there was a penalty at every scrum".
That is not borne out by the match stats, although there were plenty of free kicks whistled at the set piece as both sides struggled to time their "hit".
Chiefs scrum coach Craig Stephenson, a former Waikato prop, kept a close eye on developments sideline and conceded rugby's latest rule change was proving a headache.
"I guess rather than criticise it, you have to get on board and try and adapt ways to use it to our advantage," he said. "It's certainly been a challenging exercise."
Under the new law, referees now add a "touch" component to the standard "crouch, hold [now pause], engage" commands.
The extension, introduced on recommendation of the IRB's Medical Committee, means props will touch their opponents' shoulders to ensure they are a safe distance apart before pausing and engaging.
"With four commands, as opposed to three, we've seen teams are starting to lose their balance in the 'pause' stage in looking to go," Stephenson said.
He expected referees' interpretations to differ, if only by a split-second, so pre-game discussions with the match official were imperative.
"We need to talk to the referee and ask him to go through his interpretations of how quickly or slowly he is going to call those [commands] so we can try and adjust, because if you get beaten on the hit the scrum's almost over."
Stephenson counted at least 10 free kicks at Rotorua last week and expected the new change would take time to absorb.
"The discipline is being able to stay in the 'crouch' before the engage and hold that strong position ready for the signal."
Referees Paul Honiss and Bryce Lawrence have been to Chiefs training sessions, and Stephenson was happy to report the pair were "pretty similar".
New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) high performance referees' manager Keith Lawrence accepted the new process would take some time bedding down but was necessary as a safety measure.
- NZPA
