While the Welsh and Scottish Unions prepare for a fight at the International Rugby Board over Steve Shingler, there is a debate to be had about whether the London Irish back is worth the legal fees.

Before the contractual niceties of a verbal warning or a signed document get pored over in the greatest possible detail, is he a good enough rugby player to make it at international level for either Scotland or Wales?

The answer is that he is worth the fight, maybe not for this year, but for two to three years down the line. He is a very similar player to his fellow Llanelli product, Rhys Priestland, who has now made the international No.10 jersey his own, but was unheralded in Wales until given the chance to show what he could do.

Certainly that is the view of someone who knows both well in the former Wales prop Anthony Buchanan, who was team manager of Llanelli when they were one of the best sides in Europe and still fulfils that role for the club side that feeds into the Scarlets regional set-up.

Priestland played regularly for Llanelli until moving up over the last two seasons, when Shingler came into the club side before getting the chance to shine for the Scarlets against London Irish and earn the contract which took him out of Wales with a flawless goal-kicking display.

"He is from the same mould as Rhys Priestland, the same characteristics as a player. He is certainly a talented youngster, a good all round sportsman," said Buchanan.

"He is a really nice boy, there is potential there for him to go far and he has the ambition to do it. He came through the local rugby club at Hendy and showed immense talent, he was picked up to be part of the Scarlets set up as someone who showed the potential which could be of international standard.

"Obviously we wanted him to stay in our region, but the offer from London Irish far exceeded anything we could offer. We have a lot of young talent coming through the system at the moment."

You can see why Shingler feels his route forward in Wales could be blocked. At the Scarlets he was behind Priestland and Stephen Jones, while Jordan Williams the next great hope as the West Wales outside half factory shows signs of being back in full production.

Shingler was voted the most promising player in the Principality Premiership two years ago, the highest level below the regions, as a 19-year-old.

However at Wales Under-20s level last season he found himself playing second string at outside half to Matthew Morgan who is now beginning to make his mark for the Ospreys. Shingler played most of his games at full-back to get both talented players on to the pitch, including that fateful game against France U20 which may have committed him to Wales.

Ironically, it was Shingler who was picked to start at No.10 against New Zealand in the Junior World Championship last summer, his better defence and game control being the deciding factors. Wales were humiliated 92-0, though of course the finger of blame for that could not be pointed at the outside-half selection.

There is a precedent for players being able to change their allegiance after playing for Wales U20, with his predecessor at outside half, Matthew Jarvis, allowed to join Connacht along with wing James Loxton – both taking advantage of Irish qualifications.

There was some sympathy for Jarvis and Loxton, who were being given a chance of a professional rugby career in Ireland which they were unlikely to get in Wales. Neither was likely to win international honours for anyone, so the dispute was muted.

The player of that era Wales were very keen to keep hold of was the No.8 Toby Faletau, so the Jarvis/Loxton affair just over a year ago did act as a warning shot that procedures needed to be tightened up in order to stop players going elsewhere.

It is that tightening up which is now under dispute once again, but Wales are likely to fight more strongly this time.

The unfortunate thing for Shingler is that he has been given a chance for Scotland which may not come with Wales.

At the moment the No.10 jersey seems a straight battle between Priestland and James Hook while, looking forward, Morgan is the darling for all those who hanker back to the romantic ideal of a jinking Wales outside-half.

There are plenty of centres in Wales, too. Jamie Roberts is firmly ensconced in the 12 jersey where Shingler has been playing mostly with London Irish, with Jonathan Davies, Scott Williams or Hook beside him. The returning Gavin Henson is among the back-up options alongside the Ospreys Ashley Beck.

So we may never know if Steve Shingler is the next Rhys Priestland, but there is certainly a rugby argument that he may be. Over to the lawyers . . .