Systems, combinations and being back in match contact situations would be the key area for the Blues when they meet the Hurricanes in their Super Rugby warm-up in Whangarei on Saturday.
Anthony Boric and Jerome Kaino will be the only World Cup All Blacks to appear for the Blues in the game.
All of the internationals are training with the team but have just returned and need more time to get up to scratch.
Glen Jackson, one of New Zealand's leading referees, worked with the side and coach Pat Lam said the word was there would be few changes in interpretation with the main emphasis still being on the breakdown area.
"It's really neat that there's nothing major that has changed with just about everyone improving, particularly the tackle and rolling away because as we know the game is dependent on that and on the speed of the ball so it is really about everyone making sure their technique is right as far as attack and defence [goes]," he said.
"We'll give everyone a run, the wider training group boys as well, and that will give us something to build on for our next [warm-up] game but obviously the Crusaders [in the opening Super Rugby game on February 24] is the target so we have got to make sure we are building into that nicely," he said.
Lam said the side was not expecting All Blacks mid-fielder Ma'a Nonu to be back from Japan and ready for consideration until Round Three of the competition. Anything earlier than that would be a bonus, he said.
There had been work on some of the side's game plan from last year.
Lam said finishing fourth meant that there was still more that could be done.
"If you want to finish first you have got to keep evolving and improve the game. The main structure is there but certainly around our defence we want to be more aggressive," he said.