'I just want him back': Maitland weighs in on Russell v Townsend feud
Sean Maitland believes Finn Russell will be welcomed back into the Scotland fold – if he can find a way to work out his differences with Gregor Townsend.
The stand-off has cast his international future into serious doubt after revealing a worrying breakdown in relations with his head coach.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, Racing 92 player Russell appeared to issue a “him or me” ultimatum to Murrayfield chiefs.
“The current situation, set-up and environment, I don’t think I want to play in that,” said the 27-year-old.
Farrell will bring a reduced squad to a mini training camp in Cork this week.https://t.co/tP7dcb9LIY
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“Until I see or feel the big changes that I need to get back to playing my best, it’s going to be very hard for me to do it.”
The fall-out exploded into public view ahead of the Scots’ Guinness Six Nations opener with Ireland when Russell was stood down from action after he missed training on the back of a late-night drinking session.
Russell disputes the reasons for the row, insisting they run much deeper than a “couple of beers” at the team hotel.
But it has been reported elsewhere that several members of Townsend’s squad have been angered by his behaviour.
Fabien Galthie’s France backed up their victory over England by securing another bonus-point win against Italy, but it was far from a perfect performance at the Stade de France.https://t.co/UcR8SHmC5e
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However, Maitland – who travelled north from London on the same flight as Russell on the day of the alleged drinking session after his Saracens side had faced off with Racing in a Heineken Champions Cup clash – believes most will be willing to forgive and forget.
Asked if he wanted to see Russell back in a Scotland kit again, the wing replied: “Of course. I’ve played a lot of rugby with Finn.
“Hopefully whatever is going on, it can just get sorted and get him back in, fighting to play for this jersey.
“As of now I don’t know what’s going on but hopefully we’ve now got a bit of time for whoever’s got to work things out with whoever and get it sorted out.
“Yeah we flew up together. We had some food but I was shattered after the game and went straight to bed. So whatever happened, I don’t know what the ins and outs were.
Warren Gatland has joined the calls to scrap blanket rules governing the work load for @AllBlacks. #SuperRugby https://t.co/KLRraO7nid
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“I just want him back. The whole squad will probably agree with me there. Yeah, of course (I think he’ll be welcomed back). He’s a quality player. Hopefully it will just get sorted out.”
Without Russell’s mercurial talents, Townsend’s team again came up short as they suffered a second straight Championship defeat with Saturday’s 13-6 loss to England.
The Scots have yet to score a try and Maitland admitted: “It’s that last five per cent we’re searching for as a team.
“Last week against Ireland we had the chance to win and it was the same story on Saturday. We were in the game but it was the big-time plays that cost us. So it’s now a big game against Italy. It’s massive.
“There’s a great vibe in the squad. I feel personally like there is a great buzz. The boys are all tight. It is transferring to the field but a few things are letting us down.”
“I was quite lucky. I got my cap in 2016 after playing minimal minutes in the Premiership and I thought ‘here we go, I’m an England player’. And I told Eddie that,” https://t.co/i0Y66UUcdm
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 9, 2020
The Russell affair is not the only off-field drama Maitland, 31, has had to contend with in recent weeks.
But he has no plans to quit Saracens next season despite the looming prospect of relegation to the Championship following the club’s salary-cap scandal.
“It has been tough,” he admitted. “I don’t know what I’m doing yet (next season). I just need to work out a few things and get my future sorted pretty soon.
“Everyone has got different situations going on. I love it at Sarries. My other half loves it and we’re really settled there.
“I’m not getting any younger, so hopefully we can get it sorted in the next few weeks.
“From what I’m hearing the core squad is staying together. Of course I’d love to stay too. I love it in north London. The club have looked after me really well over the last four seasons, so we’ll see what happens.”
Watch: John Dobson and Steven Kitshoff post-match after Bulls win
Comments on RugbyPass
late hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
4 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI 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.
28 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 🤐
24 Go to comments