Like other debates led by the more reactionary elements of the northern hemisphere unions, those running around like chicken little over the ELVs are reacting to the half truths, propaganda and outright lies of a shameful UK media.

British rugby columnists, as a rule, never let the facts get in the way of a good story and are forever beholden to self-serving troglydtes in the Home Unions. In their miserable little world, every innovation in the game is a southern hemisphere plot devised by shadowy forces hell bent on turning rugby union into league.

Like their shibboleth about the All Blacks poaching Pacific Islanders, these overpaid hacks have their chosen narrative and nothing you can do or say will change it. I would wager you that most of them have never actually watched the ELVs in action. They would simply prefer to run around squealing like stuck pigs about an assault on the game's traditions.

These dog-in-the-manger obstructionists have opposed every meaningful innovation in rugby for the last century, seeing themselves as some kind of eternal rearguard repository of all that is good in The Game.

But the greatest tragedy is that the forces of fear and reaction can always be relied upon to convince a significant proportion of the rugby fraternity that the sky will fall in if the slightest changes are envisaged, even in a trial format.

Bryan Habana's quote about the ELVs was based on his experiences in just two games where he barely touched the ball. That's the not the laws' problem. That's because the Bulls have been well off the pace this year. Ask The Chiefs' Masaga or The Hurricanes' Nonu whether the experimental laws have led to fewer opportunities for attack and you will get a completely different answer.

The fact is rugby union had become overly dominated by league-style defences in recent years. The breakdown was a mess and 90 per cent of the viewing public (and frequently the players as well) had no idea why penalties were being awarded. Games were being increasingly decided by penalties awarded for obscure and indecipherable offences.

In a crowded sporting market - where there are plenty of alternative sources of entertainment - a game dominated by the whistle is doomed.

As to the nonsense about the ELVs devaluing the set piece (again, the forces of reaction will use this argument whatever change is proposed), anyone who has actually watched the Super 14 this year will tell you that the scrum has never been so important. The imposition of the five-metre offside line means teams with superior scrums have an awesome platform from which to attack. And they are using it.

But rest assured, the Hooray Henrys and head-in-the-sand luddites will do everything in their power in the next year to scuttle the whole experiment, so that they can return to their chosen tableaux of rugby as a sort of slow moving sculpture orchestrated by the whistle.

And through fear, lies and propaganda, they will enlist the forces of the well meaning (if deluded) Shane with his petitions.