I think you're on the right track for troubleshooting. For the symptoms you described, it sounds like your clutch and transmission are NOT to blame. Replacing the driver's side half-shaft (w/ accompanying CV joints) is a relatively inexpensive fix. While you (or the mechanic) has the everything torn apart, replacing the wheel bearing wouldn't hurt anything.
The rubbing noise you hear when making right-hand turns could be either the driver's side CV assembly or the wheel bearing. If it makes the noise when you're making a right-hand turn in neutral, then the wheel bearing is the likely culprit of the noise. However, the "popping" symptoms you describe aren't likely the wheel bearing -- that's most likely the CV assembly.
