I know it isn’t a popular position to hold, but I like the ELVs (as they are being trialled in the Super 14).   

In the mainstream media, the northern hemisphere especially, reacts as if the nature of the game has been or will be changed.  This is simply bullshit.  The game isn’t any more like league than it is under the old rules.

Let’s look at the major changes then.

The five meters at the scrum:   probably the most popular of the ELVs.  In the early weeks we saw a number of tries from first phase as teams were really struggled to cover the gap between the loosies and inside backs.  Since then it has calmed down with better structures being used and overall the situation have returned to semblance of equilibrium, where it is still beneficial to have scrum, but good defence can still make a difference.
Ps.  I don’t think the rule has been policed all that well so far.  One often sees the blindside winger rushing up suspiciously early and attacking teams taking the ball flat, but oh well that is just my feeling.

Quick line-out not having to be straight:  No real impact other than convincing players to look at the option more often.

Passing back over the 22:  Has probably changed the “look” of the game the most.  I like the object of the rule, but I am not sure if it really benefits anyone.  The rule has proved to be a little complicated in its application though, it sometimes happens that nobody is sure where the last phase occurred. 
Another criticism it that it causes teams to have ping-pong battles between the 22’s daring the other one to make run for it (this is an argument that I associate with NH fans on the web for some reason).  Frankly, I don’t see the problem; no team has more than three or four competent kickers, so it has to end sometime.

Off-side at the tackle:  Stupid, scrap it now before it fucks up another game.

Finally, the big one, FREE KICKS:  All the other rule changes are simply cosmetic when one compares it to this change.  Some people call this the “cheat’s charter”, what is stopping a player from killing the ball on defence when he knows that the other team will not be getting three points every-time he flops on the ball in his own 22.  I think this argument is an over-simplification.  Under the old rules refs were often slow to call infringements, because they felt that some small infringements were not worthy of a penalty sanction.  If one had a ‘pedantic’ ref who called every infringement, players didn’t attempt legitimate contesting of the ball, because one slip and their team would be in the pooh.   
I would like to see refs use the free-kick as more of a tool than a rule really.  Refs should be calling all blatant infringements penalties and honest mistakes free kicks. 

Ps.  I also think that it is important to acknowledge that the quality of some of the refereeing in the super 14 hasn’t been good enough and that it wouldn’t have been good under the old rules either.  That is a issue that must be kept separate when one discusses the future of the ELVs in a couple of months.