Three rounds in the Six Nations and Lions Samis No. 10 is still anyone.
The easy assumption to go to this tournament was that the shirt was reserved for Finn Russell, whose wide range of game skills seem ideal for the hard low.
However, half of the Scottish fly has been a mixed bag in its three exits so far, alternating between hypnotemic and crazy, typified by the recent defeat against England, when Russell put the Scots in a position to win the contest with his electrical attack game and then he could not seal the agreement with any of his three attempts to conversion.
Marcus Smith was the other early favorite, but, despite all his obvious talents, England has never seemed quite sure of how to use it and after losing his slot for the middle of the fly against Smith, his descent to the bank for the clash of this weekend with Italy is a great blow.
End Smith has been decent without exhibiting the type of domain looking for lions, while Gareth Anscombe has been a solid stop for a Welsh side that desperately needs stability.
Put everything together and it is difficult to escape the conclusion that Sam Arrendergast has made it clear in the race for 10 when Ireland aligns its third consecutive Six nations title.
Sam Pomentgast has won the number 10 of Ireland and has also claimed the lions shirt
The control of Finn Russell of Scotland on shirt No. 10 of the lions has loosen with a doubtful six nations
Marcus Smith is supremely talented, but he can't even nail his place like half of England's fly
The 22 -year -old has been far from being impeccable, but has played with tremendous authority in the three victories of Ireland and perhaps the most impressive aspect of their performances has been the ability to turn on to ignore mistakes and react with plays that change the game.
For the early stages of the championship, the great debate on the Ireland team was whether it should be Pomet or Jack Crowley from 10.
Now there is little debate.
There were some half suggestions that Crowley should start for the two final games, but it was never likely, especially with a lot of rest time between the games.
Then, a year and a half after the retirement of Johnny Sexton, Ireland, it seems that they had landed in their midfield to potentially, the next 10 years.
However, there is a persistent warning.
A look through the Six Nations Statistics Sheet has on the upper part of the classification that no player wants to appear: losses.
More than three games, Ireland has lost 15 cups in total and their defense, or lack, has become a constant theme before Saturday's confrontation with France after the Welshman achieved considerable success in Channel No. 10 of Ireland.
Andy Farrell is taking a break from the duty of Ireland to avoid any conflict of interests such as Lions coach
Johnny Sexton was a different number 10, more likely to fly to tacle, often to detriment
There are doubts about Sam Prendergast's ability in defense, where he can be attacked
“(Defense) is an area of the game that every player has to have, he must have time, the physical battles of the game,” said the interim coach of Ireland, Simon Easterby, this week.
“Sometimes it has been excellent, and has put some good photos and sometimes a couple has been lost … but that is part of their growth as a player.”
Since it broke out on the scene with Leinsace and Ireland, Arrendergast has compared regularly with his predecessor Sexton and, in terms of height and background of rugby, there are definitive similarities.
However, in play style, Arndastast is more similar to the man who kept the shirt No. 10 before Sexton, Ronan O'Gara.
Purkey is several inches higher than 6 feet and 5 inches, but it has the same thin construction, 14, and has made a notable use of the spiral kick that was the registered trademark of O'Gara for a decade and a half with Ireland and Munster.
His pass style is also more similar to O'Gara than Sexton, as well as his inclination to put others in space instead of meeting himself.
And, while Sexton was defined by his aggressive defense, often to the detriment of his own well -being, O'Gara, as Arndast, was less fond of the physical side of the game.
It is not exactly the 'matador' as described once, stirring the attackers, O'Gara in fact would be put on the path of opposition runners, he only had mixed results when it came to stop them.
Arndast is more similar to the great Ronan O'Gara de Ireland and Los Lions with a fluid style
The interim interim coach of Ireland, Simon Easterby (right) could provide defensive support for Prendargast
Ireland has a great confrontation with the formidable team of France by Antoine Dupont on Saturday
To counteract this, Munster and Ireland provided O'Gara a protector or “caregiver” in the form of a broken flanker David Wallace.
When the runners pointed to the O'Gara channel as an easy way on the line of profit, Wallace seemed to crush them back and worked very effectively for many years.
Ireland can seek to do something similar with pledge against the French tomorrow because, according to their media offers this week, Fabien Gallthie's men are undoubtedly considering the route out of the middle of Ireland as a path to progress.
The French, as expected, have selected a huge team and a bank and if Arrentgast is very exposed in defense at the Aviva stadium, will have massive implications for both the possibilities of Victoria de Ireland and for their own aspirations as lions at the end of this year.
Los Leones chief coach Andy Farrell, brought to turn on Ireland last November, supporting him when all the support was behind Crowley, and clearly believes in the young man.
However, Farrell made his name at Rugby Union as a defense coach and knows his experiences from previous lions in that role, that the British and Irish side cannot have a tour of the 10.
Therefore, there will be a lot of scrutiny in PREGRAST when I don't have the ball tomorrow.
“Sam is fully aware of the need for him to interpose in that area and I am sure we will see a physical side to Sam the weekend that may put some types of interrogation signs,” Easterby said when he named the team.
Faced with the best France, he can throw him and everything opens to turn on, with Ireland and the lions … they become an increase in speed for French operators, especially if it contributes to the Irish defeat, and their claim on the places of Ireland and the lions seems less safe.
He could also make Farrell throw his eyes in the direction of the top 14 and a player who knows that he will never elevate a Tackle: his son, Owen.