‘Who would Munster rather defend?’ How to make sense of Olakau’atu’s NSW axing

June 10, 2026 — 3:40pm

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The question is two-fold.

Who would Cameron Munster, in the depths of an Origin defensive grind, rather have running at him? Haumole Olakau’atu or Dylan Lucas?

There’s only one answer. There’s been a few theories and no definitive answer on the Olakau’atu axing that no-one, including the monstrous Manly back-rower, saw coming.

But the alternative question, who would Munster and Kalyn Ponga rather attack against, is as instructive as any.

NSW coach Laurie Daley has given little away on Olakau’atu’s axing while talking up right-edge back-row replacement Lucas. But the Blues are expecting an even quicker contest at the MCG and have selected accordingly.

Payne Haas coming in for Jacob Saifiti, Api Koroisau getting the nod as a back-up dummy-half and Daley promising Ethan Strange will see game-time as bench utility, potentially at lock, makes for an even more mobile Blues team than in Origin I.

It makes a lot of sense when small bench forwards Cameron Murray and Victor Radley helped stem the bleeding of........

© Brisbane Times