'He's just a beast' - How Scotland's Darge became a Lions contender

Rory Darge has been backed to go on this summer's British and Irish Lions tour

Guinness Six Nations: Scotland v Ireland

When: Sunday, 9 February Where: Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh Kick-off: 15:00 GMT.

Coverage: Watch on BBC One, iPlayer & BBC Sport website, listen on BBC Sounds

Huw Jones' hat-trick of tries was always going to secure the player of the match award in Scotland's opening Six Nations victory over Italy, but many believe the game's outstanding performer was Rory Darge.

The Scotland co-captain delivered an all-action display in attack and defence and a look at the post-match stats only confirmed what was clear to the naked eye.

Darge, 24, was top of the Scotland rankings for tackles made, dominant tackles and turnovers won, second for offloads and third for post-contact metres made.

He hit the most rucks overall and had the most cleanouts as well.

The Glasgow Warriors flanker also got his team up and running with the opening try and his display has brought the spotlight onto a player whose consistent excellence can, at times, go underacknowledged.

So how good is Darge? What makes him so effective? And is he a genuine contender for the Lions tour to Australia this summer?

BBC Sport pundits, Sam Warburton, Johnnie Beattie and Fraser Brown, give us their take.

'You could tell straight away he was special'

Darge has long been tipped to be star, excelling as a national age grade captain and catching the eye of the Scotland management from an early age.

"I first saw him during the Six Nations in 2020, he came in as an apprentice to train with the national team," said Brown, a former team-mate of Darge's at Glasgow.

"He was pretty young at that point and defence coach Steve Tandy came over to me and just said, 'Have a look at this kid'. You could tell straightaway he was pretty special."

Darge struggled for game time at Edinburgh under Richard Cockerill at the start of his professional career, but his rise since joining Glasgow in 2021 has been rapid.

Even in a side struggling under then head coach Danny Wilson, the young flanker was a standout. Since the arrival of Franco Smith in 2022, Darge has excelled.

He received his first Test call-up in the 2022 Six Nations. By the time the 2023 Rugby World Cup rolled around, he had established himself in the Scotland back row.

For the 2024 Six Nations, Darge was named co-captain of his country alongside Finn Russell, aged only 23.

'Contesting the breakdown is an art'

The headline writers are usually drawn to the chief creative forces in an international side; the likes of Antoine Dupont, Finn Russell and Marcus Smith.

Ask coaches and players, past and present, to name the most influential member of their team, however, and many will point to the open-side flanker.

The number seven is the player more than any other tasked with disrupting the flow of the opposition, to compete at the breakdown to slow down and even stop your opponent's most important weapon - quick ball.

"Darge, like every top class open-side, you think of you think of Sam Warburton, you think of Richie McCaw, and these are obviously legends of our game, but they have a real point of difference," said Beattie, who played 38 times for Scotland.

"I know now the game is more evolved than it has ever been, and more and more people are capable of jackaling, competing and contesting at breakdowns, but there's still an absolute art to timing, to your body position, your height, your flexibility, the positions you can get in.

"There are some people that are special in that area, and Darge is one that's special."

Darge ranked highly in a lot of areas compared to his team-mates

'Darge looks like a Lions player'

After breaking an ankle against Cardiff playing for Glasgow in September 2022, Darge used his rehabilitation to bulk up physically.

That extra power has taken his game to new heights and, after his starring role in Scotland's victory over Italy, Darge is firmly in the conversation for a coveted back-row berth for the Lions.

"He's an athlete, that guy," said former Wales and Lions captain Warburton.

"He got injured and it probably could be a bit of a blessing because it's just given him an extra few kilograms of body weight.

"It doesn't sound much but in contact that helps you dominate massively at an international level.

"Darge has bulked up that little bit and he looks like a Lions player."

Lions head coach Andy Farrell is hardly short on quality back-row options and Darge will need some more big performances in this Six Nations to advance his case, starting against Ireland on Sunday.

"There's a bucket load of competition there," said Brown.

"You've got Wales' Jac Morgan, you've got obviously the Curry brothers for England, Ireland's Josh van der Flier.

"Darge is so good, at six or seven. He is good at set-piece. He is just a beast.

"I think he's someone that you put into a Lions environment, then you'll actually just see how good he is because every single time he's been asked to go and step up to a new challenge, he's done it.

"He would be in my Lions squad."