Finn Russell: 'Still, for me, I want to fix things'
Finn Russell believes he and Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend will have a better relationship following their public falling out during the recent Guinness Six Nations.
Currently in lockdown just outside of Paris waiting out the Covid-19 limbo caused by the Top 14’s suspension, the Scottish No10 spoke via video link to Jim Hamilton on The Lockdown, the new RugbyPass series.
“Before we went into lockdown, the strength and conditioning guys were putting everyone into groups of what equipment they would get. Boys got watt bikes, dumbbells, whatever they needed from the club dropped off at the house.”
Russell, who lives alone in France, is staying in contact with friends back in Scotland via video link. “Because I’m on my own, it [lockdown] is not quite normal but I’d do training, then come home, chill, get dinner and then come back and chill again so I’m kind of used to having a lot of time on my own in the house. I’m not that bothered by it.”
Townsend and Russell are on their way to mending their relationship, which just ten weeks ago was on the proverbial rocks. Russell left the Scotland camp shortly after it assembled in late January for the Six Nations and returned to France after a bust-up with the Scottish management which made headlines around the rugby world.
However, communications between the pair have since improved to the point were Russell was able to give an insight into the French gameplan going into the March 8 match at Murrayfield which Scotland won.
“I spoke to him before the France game and tried to help him out. Having been here a year and half, (I told him) how I thought they were going to play.
“I play with a few of the boys here, I chatted about their traits and what I feel they like to do and how they play. And whether they do certain things under pressure, what they do when they have time on the ball and space – and how to potentially shut them down.
“I had Lo-Lo (Laurent Labit) as attack coach last year for a year, so I said a few things that they might try and do. A few shapes he might try and few structures he might try and use.
“I’ve kept in touch with a few of the (Scottish) boys the whole time. The fallow week before France I called Gregor. I didn’t know if I was going to get called back in or not, but we thought it best just to leave it for now and then start again after the Six Nations and move forward from there.
“I had been back and forward from here (Paris). It was better just for me to make a decision to stop it before the last two games and let the boys go ahead and focus on the game without any of the journalists chatting about it again.
“Now with nothing on, I think I will give him a call and chat and just move things on. Obviously, I don’t know if the summer tour will go ahead now. We were talking about fixing things for the summer tour, which would be good. Still, for me, I want to fix things. We’ll work it out in a few months, I think.
Asked if he or Townsend needed to make the move, he said: “I think it’s both. I think me and Gregor have a better understanding of each other, having called each other during the Six Nations. He has a better understanding of where I’m coming from.
“There will a lot of discussions and catch-ups to fix things, which will be good. In the long run, it will be good for us, not just in the short term. Going forward for myself, Gregor and the team, it will be good. We can actually have a better relationship with each other.”
Asked if he had any regrets in which the ‘feud’ played out and the high-profile Sunday Times article in which he was quoted as saying he and the Townsend had ‘no relationship’, and Russell was clear: “I had kind of kept quiet and didn’t want to put anything out there. After a time I had to say my side, how I was feeling. I was getting frustrated seeing things being written about me in the media.
“(I was thinking) ‘this isn’t actually the story’ and I wanted to say my side. It was me sticking up for myself saying, ‘that’s just one side of the story’. I don’t regret it at all. It was just something I had to do in the context of it all.”
Russell told new Scottish skipper Stuart Hogg and Ali Price about the article following Scotland’s loss to England in Murrayfield. “Before the article came out I spoke to him [Hogg] and Ali after the England game, said ‘there’s an article coming out tomorrow. It’s my side of how it’s going’.
Still, watching the Six Nations from his sofa proved frustrating for the playmaker in exile. “It was frustrating. Then at the same time I was back here playing and that takes your mind off it. It was a bit of a challenge for me, having all that going on in Scotland and me here trying to play well.
“If you’re injured it’s different. It was a different situation than I’d been in before. I’d been injured for a Six Nations game, I’d been banned for one. You’re gutted to be out for a different, whereas this was more a frustration.”
Ironically, with one of Scotland’s Six Nations games yet to be played and possibly set for October, Russell may yet play in this year’s competition.
“Maybe I will play a part in the Six Nations this year, you never know,” he quipped. “There’s a few months left to the end of the season. The plan is that me and Gregor will catch up a couple of times, not in person but over the phone on FaceTime like this or Skype. We spoke a lot about the summer tour going forward and how we can both come back together.”
WATCH: Billy Vunipola chats to Jim Hamilton in an earlier episode of The Lockdown, the new RugbyPass series
Comments on RugbyPass
AI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
58 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to comments