We need to cap Christie before All Blacks do it

IF Finlay Christie isn’t already on Gregor Townsend’s radar as a future Scotland cap, then he certainly should be.

The 21-year-old scrum-half (below) was undoubtedly star man in the Waikato Chiefs side defeated by the Lions in New Zealand this week.

But Townsend will have to get in there quick if he wants to get his hands on the rising star.

Although the young man who outplayed opposite number Greig Laidlaw on Tuesday was born in Melrose and raised in Jedburgh, he could yet play for the All Blacks through residency.

Christie, whose family emigrated to New Zealand when he was seven and settled near Auckland, became one of the top young gymnasts and rugby players in the country before deciding to concentrate on the oval-ball game.

He duly won the Hawkins Medal as best young player at University of Canterbury before the Tasman Makos offered him a deal last year.

So impressive was he at provincial level that he was handed a Super Rugby contract at the start of this season with the Chiefs, who are coached by new Glasgow Warriors boss Dave Rennie.

Townsend and Rennie are good friends, so who’s to say talks haven’t already begun to bring Christie into the Scotland set-up before the Autumn Tests?

Yes, Townsend has options at nine but making sure Christie isn’t spirited away by the All Blacks should still be a priority.

Clermont Auvergne-bound Laidlaw is nearly 32 and can’t go on forever.

Ali Price, who provides quicker ball to his back division than the Scotland captain, is his natural successor, so at least we have decent back-up.

After that, things aren’t too clever. Henry Pyrgos is solid rather than spectacular and doesn’t have the quickness of hands or the pace of Price to make quick breaks. Sean Kennedy and Sam Hidalago-Clyne have struggled for Edinburgh.

It remains to be seen if Townsend is preparing to lure Christie home with the promise of a contract at Edinburgh or Glasgow and a fast-track into the national team. It would be a wise move.