It was not just in the Guinness Premiership that players, officials and spectators had to grapple with some new rules last weekend. The experimental law variations (ELVs) will be trialled at all levels of the game and in the match programme for Westcombe Park's match against Blackheath in National League Two, two divisions below the Premiership, spectators were begged to show tolerance.

"Today's referee has studied the laws, been trained in them and will not need your help from the touchline," the club wrote. The refereee, Richard Phillips, was indeed well versed in the new laws, with perhaps the most interesting impact coming over ELV 4, which does not allow a side to gain territory if they kick directly into touch from a ball passed into their 22.

Shortly before half-time, Westcombe Park were awarded a scrum outside their 22 but Blackheath put on such a shove that although the ball came out on Westcombe's side, the scrum had been pushed over the line. The fly half kicked the ball downfield and the touch judge followed it to signal the lineout but the referee, quite rightly, indicated that the lineout should be taken from level with the kick. Under the previous laws, Westcombe would have gained the distance.

ELV 1, which allows for the touch judges, now called assistant referees, to advise the referee more than before, was also called into play to Westcombe's disadvantage in the first half. A kick by the home side into the in-goal area was not gathered cleanly by Frankie Neale, the Blackheath full back, and it appeared that a Westcombe back had touched the ball down for a try close to the dead-ball line. The referee thought so and raised his arm to give the score, but one of his assistants ran across to correct him, saying that the ball had just crossed the line before being touched down.

The ELVs were brought in to encourage attacking play, which was not wholly apparent when the first half ended 0-0 in horrid weather. Each side scored a try after the interval, with Neale's penalty goals ensuring that Blackheath won 13-10, but the new laws certainly encouraged creativity at the lineout, with both sides going for quick throws back towards their own line, which are now permitted. Although there is a fear that mauls will disappear from the game now that they can be legally pulled down, what happened instead was that driving mauls developed more quickly, before defences could be organised.