Rugby league and rugby union used to be so different, they were black and white. Now there's a real shade of grey.
Experimental Law Variations have been introduced in rugby to increase the enjoyment of the game, but no one fully recognised the ramifications of bringing them in.
Rugby is now a far better spectacle - players are five metres back from the scrum, there are no more driving mauls, you can't pass back into your own 22 then kick the ball out, and short-arm penalties have increased the amount of tap and runs.
The Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney last week featured only 14 lineouts, making it a more appealing game to watch. But perhaps the biggest impact the laws will have is making it easier for rugby league players to make the jump across to rugby.
And for that reason I expect Sonny Bill Williams to be one of several marquee players to successfully make the switch.
When Willie Carne came across from league to play for Queensland, he had no problem handling the technical side of rugby, but he did struggle with the lack of space.
Rugby will still need players of certain body shapes and props that can scrummage. I don't believe we'll get to the league situation where halfbacks play hooker and centres play in the second row. But the games are far closer together. From now on, all the league backs and the better back-rowers are fair game for rugby.
The wealthy European clubs run rugby. All the top players in the southern hemisphere are drawn to the European glamour sides.
As the code moves towards a free market, market forces will win out every time. In my experience in England, players will be loyal to their clubs - until a better offer reaches the $20,000 mark. At that point, most will jump ship.
Former New Zealand captain Sean Fitzpatrick has called for the All Blacks to be picked on a global basis after 16 of their top players were lost to the French and English premierships. I was originally against that line of thinking, but it's only a matter of time before it happens.
During the week rugby league types have continually talked about the sanctity of the contract. But I'm not convinced a league fan during the Super League war would be too impressed with that talk, as contracts were contested all over the place.
Increasingly, player managers have associates in the northern hemisphere to look for opportunities for their players, so league fans can expect more of the same.
There is a vast difference between a league and a union player jumping ship and trying to get out of their contract. To play in the northern hemisphere, rugby players need a clearance from their own country before they can leave.
The IRB has safeguards against being burnt that the NRL doesn't. On the Sonny Bill front, there's no way in the world rugby will help league.
Rugby has no jurisdiction in the matter. At the end of the day, rugby clubs in the northern hemisphere will only chase marquee players.
But with interest also from the English Super League, rugby league is fighting a war on two fronts.
My view still is that when you sign a contract, you stick to it.
We've seen plenty of cases where coaches have been sacked well before the end of their term, a move which can ruin reputations.
We don't see too many people screaming about contracts when a coach gets the chop. In my experience, young players today are exactly the same as 20 years ago - they have just been brought up in a different environment.
These guys are professional sportsmen from age 18 - in Williams's case 16. They are pro athletes playing for money. But market forces are going to win out every time.
