Super 14 coaches have applauded the experimental rule changes officials hope will produce "super-charged rugby" next year, but Wallaby flankers Phil Waugh and Rocky Elsom sounded cautionary notes.

The three SANZAR nations agreed to implement most of the variations which were trialled in this year's Australian Rugby Championship.

They cover several areas of the game including lineouts, scrums, the breakdown and the awarding of penalties.

Backlines must be five metres back from the scrum, quick lineouts can now go backward as well as straight, and free kicks rather than penalties will be awarded for all offences other than offside and foul play.

However, a number of the more contentious variations, including the pulling down of mauls, unlimited lineout numbers and the allowance of hands in the ruck were not introduced due to "vagueness" over their interpretations.

Multiple Super title-winning Crusaders coach Robbie Deans said he thought it was great that the International Rugby Board had shown some flexibility over the laws.

"There's obviously a little bit of a fear of the unknown, but we believe it's going to be good for the game," Dean said at Tuesday's SANZAR conference in Sydney.

"To that end, while it's a courageous step, we're better to act and do something where there's a need, than do nothing at all and from a coaching perspective we're pretty excited about it."

His enthusiasm for the changes was echoed by two Australian Super coaches, the Force's John Mitchell and the Waratahs' Ewen McKenzie.

While leading players were also generally enthusiastic about the experimental laws, they claimed they wouldn't make that much difference to the game.

"You can try and guide teams with rules, but really they will just try and bend them and change them back to the way they want them, so it'll probably be a while before you really see wholesale changes," Elsom said.

Waugh said the experimental laws were exciting for rugby and represented a fresh start after a "disappointing 2007".

"I think you may see a few more yellow cards rather than penalties, so discipline is still going to be crucial," Waugh said.

Waugh felt the New Zealand and Australian teams might initially be advantaged by the changes because of their traditional preference for playing more expansive rugby.

"It may disadvantage the South Africans a little bit, but I'm sure they will work out game plans to bring their size and power into the new changes," Waugh said.

Australian Rugby Union deputy chief executive Matt Carroll said it had not yet been determined whether the changes would be used in the Tri Nations, but stressed that next year's home Tests against Ireland and France would definitely be played under the existing laws.

Mitchell said he was looking forward to embracing the new variations.

"It's really essential for the game, even more so for us in Australia, where we are competing with the other contact sports and it's important the game is a lot more free flowing," he said.

ARU officials expected the changes to produce a faster game, with the ball in play for up to an extra five minutes.

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