Rory Darge: Could Glasgow Warriors flanker be ‘as good as Hamish Watson’ for Scotland?

Inspirational. Unbelievable. Hamish Watson's doppelganger.

The epithets attached to Rory Darge during and after his first Scotland start against France on Saturday were uncommonly complimentary. Not least given those who were delivering them.

Former Scotland captain John Barclay said the 22-year-old Glasgow Warriors flanker could be as good as feted team-mate Hamish Watson. Erstwhile England leader and coach Martin Johnson was equally lavish.

Darge's performance — in just his second appearance — was a rare crumb of comfort after Scotland were cut open by a French side who look to be swaggering towards the Six Nations title.

First start or 50th Test, it was hard to tell as the North Berwick native was a constant thorn in the side of arguably the best team in the world. Composed, confident, crashing into contact — he lived up to the billing Glasgow fans have been giving him.

After five minutes, Darge had already ripped his first turnover out of French hands and after 28 minutes had his first try, too.

«He's been unbelievable. Three turnovers in 40 minutes against a French team whose contact zone is so good,» Barclay said at half-time. That praise was echoed by Johnson, who said Darge was «playing an inspirational game».

«He's almost like-for-like with Hamish Watson,» was how Barclay described the openside before kick-off. «He's a very similar carrier, defensively superb but he's a really good decision maker as well.»

Former Scotland prop Peter Wright agreed. «He's got such an old head on young shoulders,» he said. «It feels like he's been around forever. He's very reminiscent of Watson. They're very similar. They're almost like each other's doppelganger.»

His first start on the international stage, in a Six Nations Test no less,