Murray Mexted is firmly behind Dave Rennie's call to start Asafo Aumua ahead of Codie Taylor, framing it not as a Taylor demotion but as a performance reward — and a deliberate tactical matchup against Malcolm Marx. With Taukei'aho sliding onto the bench, the All Blacks carry real depth and dynamism at hooker, and Mexted sees this as a genuine one-two punch rather than a clear pecking order. His main caveat is Aumua's lineout throwing, which remains a question mark, but he believes the Hurricanes hooker's raw power and abrasive on-field character make him the right man to start. Taylor's lineout wobbles in the second Test gave Rennie an opening, and the coach has taken it — with freshness management also a factor for the Test centurion.
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Mexted backs Aumua to take the fight to Marx in hooker battle of the Rugby Championship
Mexted backs Aumua's All Blacks starting selection as a form reward and a deliberate tactical counter to Marx, with Taukei'aho's bench role creating a potent hooker combination — though lineout reliability remains the lingering concern.
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