Franco Smith was long considered the heir apparent to Gregor Townsend’s Scotland post. The whispers were loud: a URC title under his belt, a proven developer of talent, and the kind of coach with vision who could carry Scotland forward. Yet when the job came up — or rather, when the contract decisions were made — Smith stayed at Glasgow.

Instead, Scotland opted for continuity with Townsend, and Smith’s path forward remains at club level — at least for now.

That raises some tough questions. Was this a safe choice by the SRU — sticking with the known rather than embracing change? Did Smith miss a chance to step up, or did Scotland miss their chance to inject fresh blood at the top? And for Smith himself: is he accepting the long game, or biding his time?

What do you think — should Scotland have appointed Franco Smith instead, or was keeping Townsend the correct call?