At some stage in this test I would love to see Perenara, Beaudy, Laumape and Jordie all on the field at the same time playing their true positions. I would also have Fifita replace Kaino for at least the last 30 minutes, with Ardie as open flanker. The skills of those players is a sight to behold and it mainly comes down to familiarity and combinations. They are all well proven finishers and very hard for the defence to keep tabs on. The 'Canes produced Umaga and Nonu to become AB legends - Laumape is better than both of them. While SBW is making a few metres, flicking out a pass as he falls to the ground, Laumape is also falling to the ground......TRY! While SBW is pondering who he is meant to tackle, Laumape tackles the guy with the ball! Simples. AB's by miles unless Hansen does a Henry and provides the Lions with the same to team to face.
Yup, combinations are the key to success, and this happens at multiple levels and scales. Ultimately, if the forwards combine well with the backs (if the ball goes from the former to the latter in a seamless movement/without transition), the team is well and truly ready to win.
At the individual scale, we all know the Barrett brothers work well together. Their 10/15 combo is like a double-brained machine on the field. They provide play-making ability at the middle and at the back, which is precious to the Canes attack.
The 9/10 combination is deadly too. Beauden and TJ have been playing for years and years since they first met in the U20s (in 2011 I think). I don't really know whether TJ adapted his style to Beauden's, if Beauden started playing flat as a consequence of having to take flat passes, or if it's a little bit of both, but they work wonders these two.
Then we've got another combination at the ABs, one that is as vital (if not more) as the spine positions combinations (2, 8, 9, 10, 15): the midfield combination. The All Blacks had Nonu and Smith, now they've got SBW and ALB or Crotty and ALB. I think ALB plays so well and is such an empathetic rugby player that he can guess how he has to combine with another second-five/center.
What you said about Laumape v SBW is enlightening though. Sometimes, rugby doesn't have to be complicated...
But Jordie, just like Sonny Bill, often doesn't know who to tackle and the questions he asks himself are legitimate. If you don't trust your inside/outside fellow defender, who do you trust? Sometimes he'll make the wrong decision and you'll be left with two players to tackle, that's a situation no fullback wants to be confronted to. But even if that happens, you have to make sure the player you take on will be well and truly unable to pass. The rest doesn't solely depend on you.
