Article By Simnikiwe Xabanisa, in The Times Live.

It’s the fifth and final year of the Super 14 and, predictably, the big talking point is another round of tinkering with the laws.

With the past two seasons having been played under the often-maligned ELVs, the IRB has decreed that the scrums, rucks and the off-side law be more strictly policed.

Surprisingly, the South Africans are not perturbed by the developments, while one Tim Horan isn’t completely sold.

Perhaps influenced by his visit to the unorthodox Cape Town Tens tournament, which finishes today, the Wallaby legend has a pretty radical solution to the ever-changing law conundrum.

“Maybe the southern hemisphere should play to their own rules,” he said. “The (IRB) laws suit the northern hemisphere sides, but we need to keep our game attractive. It’s not that attractive in the northern hemisphere, but people still go to watch teams winning on the basis of a few penalty goals.

“Because of the competition from other codes, that doesn’t put bums on seats in the southern hemisphere.”

While professing a yearning for a return to the “exciting” ELVs, Horan said he was hopeful that kicking wouldn’t play a huge role in the Super 14 this season. “When the referees allow the game to flow, the Super 14 is the best competition in the world.”

Ironically, attacking teams theoretically having more rights at the breakdown should encourage them to kick less, with no fear of being robbed of possession at the rucks.

While acknowledging the going may be a bit tricky to start with, the South African teams aim to adapt quicker than in recent years.

Bulls assistant coach John McFarland said: “It would be silly to say the changes won’t make an impact. It affects your tackling technique and how you deal with the opposition ball.

“Last year, we played two sets of rules and still won the Super 14 and the Currie Cup.”

McFarland said that as far as the champions were concerned, the law changes were a simple case of things having come full circle.

“We’re back where we were in 2007, where you could maul and the tackler had to roll away. Tight forwards having to freeze during the kick and chase means there will be opportunities to counter-attack, and we’ve got good counter-attacking players.”

Ever the optimist, the Lions’ Dick Muir is excited because “the laws make for good attacking rugby and therefore a better spectacle”.

If anyone felt the Bulls, who have won two Super 14 titles, would be too sated to mount a spirited defence of their title, McFarland sounded ominous.

“Our Bok players were there for our final week in George so all our tactical planning was done early,” he explained. “They also did fitness where they didn’t touch a rugby ball. Victor (Matfield) is leading them at training and he’s in superb nick.”

The other team being talked up after the pre-season friendlies are the Stormers, with McFarland pointing to their world-class signings in Jaque Fourie and Bryan Habana, while Horan simply reckons “they’ll be tough to beat”.

Consequently, Schalk Burger’s first few weeks as captain have been devoted to managing expectations.

Unusually, the Springbok-laden Sharks are an unknown quantity almost solely because of their lack of a recognised quality flyhalf, with Steve Meyer and Ruan Pienaar to shoulder the burden of giving them direction.

As always, the Cheetahs are expected to battle manfully without that translating into an appearance in the knockout stages.

While not expected to set the world alight, the Lions should still be the subject of much interest, given their coach and their signing of former New Zealand flyhalf Carlos Spencer. As signings go, recruiting the 34-year-old Spencer is akin to going for an aging rocker. Here’s hoping he has a bit of Rolling Stone in him.

“We’ve just got to be realistic in terms of noting where we’ve been,” said Muir. “There have been a lot of changes, so we’re in a process phase where we have to ensure we improve every week.

“That said, the results have to follow suit.”

Of the Aussie sides, Horan said he felt the Brumbies, who have signed Matt Giteau and Rocky Elsom, were the team to beat.

“The Reds will be trying to win more games while the Force should struggle without Giteau.”