Coach Rennie explained the decision stemmed naturally from Taylor's role and the current team dynamics. "Well, he’s the tour captain, so that made sense to us," Rennie stated. With the sidelining of Savea and Jacobson due to unavailability, Taylor's return is seen as a crucial stabilizing factor.
"Obviously, we’ve lost a fair bit of experience over the weekend, with Luke and Ardie out. With both of them unavailable, we felt Codie coming back in – he’s an excellent player and gives us a lot of leadership and experience, and that’s been really valuable throughout the week."
The coach also highlighted the strategic addition of Asafo Aumua, who is expected to bring a significant impact coming off the bench later in the game.
Rennie didn’t hold back praise when it came to veteran player Beauden Barrett, who is set to make his series debut from the bench. Despite not participating in the earlier matches, Barrett has been a key figure within the team. "It’s been tough for Beauden. He’s sat on the sidelines for the first six Tests of the year and he’s been phenomenal, his contribution within the group has been excellent and he’s trained really well."
"He’s played very well at 15 for us and that’s primarily where he’ll get his crack at the weekend."
The strategic decisions concerning player roles and leadership, articulated by Rennie, reflect a well-calibrated approach to overcoming the challenges posed by key absences. With Taylor's leadership and Barrett's experience from the bench, the All Blacks are positioned to make a strong statement in this critical match-up.
The series finale promises to be a thrilling contest with high stakes and the All Blacks are evidently prepared to leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of victory and the prestigious Greatest Rivalry trophy.
