Rugby's reputation for head-scratching rules could reach its nadir when the All Blacks and Ireland meet in a confusing collision of the hemispheres here on Saturday.

For a new-look All Blacks side hoping combinations will gel despite limited preparation, there is the significant issue of returning to rugby's "old" laws after their players spent four months getting hard-wired to the Super 14's Experimental Law Variations (ELVs).

Not only that, the International Rugby Board (IRB) this week issued an edict for referees to be stricter when officiating the vexed breakdown area.

Hands in the ruck and "sealing off" the ball carrier illegally have been identified as problem areas of the game.

A great unknown for both teams will be how officiously English referee Chris White follows the IRB's decree.

White will control the All Blacks for a seventh time in their last 30 tests and is highly rated by assistant coach Wayne Smith.

However, Smith had empathy for White in what shapes as devilishly difficult assignment.

"He's got a pretty good feel for the game but there's an edict put out, I guess it'll be pretty hectic ," Smith said.

The teams' tactics are likely to differ markedly because of the different rules used in their respective domestic competitions.

Not surprisingly, Ireland are content to be playing under the old laws, which powerful club Munster employed to excellent effect with a grinding win in the recent European Cup final.

Seven Munster forwards are in their pack for Saturday and forwards coach Niall O'Donovan indicated he was far happier to approach the test with their background than that of the All Blacks.

"It's funny for New Zealand to be playing the new laws last week and then coming into the old laws in a game refereed by a northern hemisphere referee," O'Donovan said.

"It doesn't make any difference to us really but from a New Zealand perspective it is strange to be chopping and changing the way they are.

"It might help us, it definitely won't be a hindrance for us."

Every All Blacks player asked this week believes there will be no problem switching back and even suggest the ELVs experience will be of benefit.

Debut winger Anthony Tuitavake reckoned the Super 14's faster pace had lifted fitness levels and would help New Zealand employ a high speed game that will stretch Ireland.

"The (Irish) games we have seen on TV have been sort of slow and forward orientated but the quick ELVs that have been played in the Super 14 will really help us," he said.

Smith disagreed with Tuitavake, and said there were too many misconceptions about the standard in Europe.

"I don't know if they'll struggle to match (the pace)," he said.

"There's a perception that they just grind away up north."

Footage of Ireland's pre-tour 39-14 win over a Barbarians team trying to play at pace convinced Smith that the tourists cannot just be run off their feet.

"We're hoping that the new laws will enhance some areas of our game ... I think it can help the style of game we play already.

"But whether it's going to destroy Ireland, I think that's reaching too far."

Smith said it had been important not to clutter the players' minds with law change reminders this week.

He was confident they would naturally return to last year's rules, which were not different in a big way to the ELVs.

"We're not looking at old laws or new laws, we're looking at our laws and how we want to play."

Smith was pleased with how the All Blacks had come together since gathering in Wellington on Sunday.

Players from the Super 14 champion Crusaders had arrived a day later and had undergone lighter workloads than their teammates to help recover from last Saturday's win in the final over the New South Wales Waratahs.

Prop Greg Somerville was not selected as he was deemed to be too tired but fellow Crusaders forwards Richie McCaw, Ali Williams and Brad Thorn are all starting, along with inside backs Andy Ellis and Daniel Carter.

"You'd imagine they would be (tired) but they're real professionals," Smith said.

"And you're talking about an All Blacks test. I think they'll steel up."