It might be good enough for Andy Robinson and England but Moseley head coach Ian Smith does not consider Saturday's axis of Ollie Thomas and Greg McDonald to be the long-term solution to the club's midfield problems.
While Robinson has apparently settled on playing two fly-halves, Charlie Hodgson and Olly Barkley, at the heart of the red rose three-quarter line, Smith did exactly that against Launceston on Saturday but said yesterday that he would rather see McDonald challenging to play instead of Thomas and not with him.
Which may come as a surprise to many supporters who witnessed one of the club's most fluid attacking displays for many weeks as Moseley steamrollered the Cornish All Blacks in a 41-17 win.
McDonald, playing at inside centre, scored after two minutes after a sumptuous pass by fly-half Thomas, who capped a wonderful individual display with two tries. For his part McDonald gilded the proverbial lily with an audacious drop goal late in the second half.
The sight of two creative talents ripping apart vaunted opponents made the home faithful forget the midseason misfirings. During that time Simon Brading, Paul Cox, Andy Binns and Josh Frape have tried to fill a position Smith describes as 'crucial' on a permanent basis with varying degrees of success.
"Against Launceston I thought it went very well," Smith said. "Our 10, 12 and 13 all performed extremely well and all did exactly what was asked of them. Most of the season, especially when Josh Frape has not been there, we have stuttered at 12, which is not to say we have not got people who can play in that position, it's just that they have not performed as well as they can."
Despite a hugely promising performance by McDonald, Smith said: "We discussed using Greg McDonald a few months ago but unfortunately for him he has had quite a disrupted season with injuries.
"We really want him to be challenging for a spot at flyhalf. He can play 12, he has got the kicking ability, awareness and good hands and brings other people into the game.
"But there is the defensive side of the game and taking the ball up which he didn't have to do that much on Saturday because it was a sunny day and the conditions didn't necessitate it. In that respect the selection was definitely horses for courses."
McDonald has endured a frustrating season. While he has played well for the reserve team when fitness concerns haven't conspired against him, Saturday's match was only his second first-team start of the campaign.
Injuries have been a factor in that but another is the impressive form of Thomas who has established himself as one of the most promising talents in the National Leagues.
But the battle at No 10 is not a foregone conclusion for Smith who said: "We would liked to have put Greg in the first team much more often, we know he can play and is someone who can contribute. Whether he has got better attributes than Ollie Thomas is something we do not know yet."
With his own future looking assured, although nothing has been signed yet, the former Scotland international has turned his attention to building a side to win promotion next season.
He declared his intention to re-sign the entire current squad while recruiting a bit of experience in key positions. Smith said: "This side just needs two or three people to come in to crucial areas and we could go up another level. But they must be quality players."
