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
True Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
21 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
10 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
78 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
21 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
10 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
21 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
21 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
21 Go to comments