Dilemmas for Scotland ‘semi-final’

Farrell, rules of engagement were declared. Farrell ultimately got the official nod for man of the match and I have no quarrel with that but any one from Keith Earls, Jacob Stockdale, Conor Murray, Stander or any of the three new kids on the block – Andrew Porter, James Ryan or Dan Leavy – could have been honoured.

We wondered, no make that feared, how Porter, Ryan and Farrell would fare in replacing Tadhg Furlong, Iain Henderson and Robbie Henshaw respectively but they did it extremely well. The scrum was rock-solid, Ryan was everywhere and Farrell immense.

So put yourself in the main man’s shoes and how easy is he going to find it to reinstall Furlong, Henderson and/or Garry Ringrose on the back of what we witnessed from the replacement trio? Ryan will now leapfrog Devin Toner (who was also immense) into firstchoice lock like Paul O’Connell and I won’t quibble with that. Farrell has surely done enough to retain his place ahead of Ringrose who should come into the 23 as utility cover although I would still make a strong case for Jordan Larmour in terms of potential impact in a crisis off the bench.

I suggested at the start of this season that Dan Leavy, given his physical development since leaving school, had the potential to become another Richie McCaw. He is now on that road. The former St Michael’s breakaway still possesses the sixth sense of a roving f lanker but is so much stronger and is becoming much more streetwise when positioned over the ball.

Schmidt and Simon Easterby are spoilt for choice in the back-row but they know the real challenge is getting the balance right (factoring in the opposition).

Mention too of Greg Feek. I wouldn’t even pretend to know what the scrum engineer does to make what we witnessed on Saturday in Furlong’s absence happen but he has created one very happy bunny in the newlyconverted tighthead and an equally happy nation on the back of it.

And as for Murray my respect holds no bounds. He is the epitome of honesty and coolness in a rugby player. Stepping forward to take that vital penalty to put us out to ten ahead typified the courage of the man. Aaron Smith is a superb yet different type of scrum-half but the outstanding purveyor in the linking art just now is wearing the green number nine.

Three down, two to go with the ‘semi-final’ next up. Pinch yourself but hold the head as we move ever closer to that ‘box seat’.