Murray Mexted has used the Bledisloe Cup to reframe two key All Blacks selection debates. His central argument: Wallace Sititi's defensive output and aerial work disqualify him as a genuine Test number eight, making blindside his more honest position. Lakai, meanwhile, has staked a real claim at openside — but Mexted is equally firm that his lack of size rules him out at eight. The practical consequence is that New Zealand's number eight depth is threadbare. If Ardie Savea is unavailable, Mexted sees only Frizell and a redeployed Parker as credible options — a vulnerability that will matter acutely against South Africa, where lineout presence and aerial contest at the back of the pack are non-negotiable.
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Mexted: Sititi is a 6, not an 8 — and it matters for the Boks
Mexted argues Sititi's defensive limitations make him a blindside, not a number eight — exposing a real depth problem at the base of the All Blacks scrum that would hurt them against the Boks.
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