Kieran Read's argument is straightforward but pointed: the All Blacks don't necessarily need to adopt the 6-2 split to beat the Springboks, but their replacements must deliver the same game-changing impact South Africa's bench routinely produces across the final quarter. Read sees Rassie's forward-heavy bench as a proven formula built on impact rather than sheer size, and believes New Zealand can generate comparable effect through a traditional 5-3 — provided they're bold about both selection and timing of substitutions. Justin Marshall pushes back, noting that flexibility in the backline (via Lienert-Brown's ability to cover multiple positions) is precisely what gives Rennie the option to trial a 6-2 without sacrificing back coverage — and that the provincial games against South African franchises are the ideal low-stakes moment to experiment.
The deeper concern running through the discussion is Fainga'anuku's absence. Marshall identifies Esterhuizen's hybrid flanker-centre role as a genuine structural edge South Africa holds, and Read acknowledges that Fainga'anuku was the closest New Zealand had to a like-for-like answer — gone now alongside Scott Barrett and Tamaiti Williams. With three likely starters unavailable, the pressure on Rennie's bench decisions — and on emerging loose forwards like Segner to deliver impact — is considerably amplified heading into the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series.