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'It's an important game for Finn': How Scotland believe the Russell effect can work in their favour in France

By Liam Heagney
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Gregor Townsend is hoping the unusual mathematics surrounding this Friday’s rearranged Guinness Six Nations match between Scotland and France will play right into the hands of fit-again out-half Finn Russell who is back in the No10 jersey having missed last weekend’s win over Italy. 

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Russell suffered a concussion in the March 14 loss to Ireland, unavailability that resulted in Stuart Hogg starting as Scotland out-half versus the Italians. However, Russell is now back in harness and ready for a fixture that has multiple equations surrounding it. 

A win for France with a four-try bonus point and a 21-point margin of victory would see them crowned Six Nations champions for the first time since 2010. Alternatively, a first win away to French since 1999 could elevate Scotland into a best-ever Six Nations second-place finish if they defeat the hosts with a bonus point.

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Scotland’s Finn Russell on the prospect of finishing second in this year’s Six Nations

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Scotland’s Finn Russell on the prospect of finishing second in this year’s Six Nations

It’s a scene set for some high-scoring entertainment and Russell, the playmaker who has been based in recent years in Paris with Racing 92, will look to wield a decisive influence. “It’s an important game for Finn given that he plays in France,” said Townsend after naming a Scotland XV in which Russell is one of four changes. “I’m sure this is a game he looks forward to more than any other of the year.

“He didn’t play in our last game and went off injured in the game against Ireland previous to that. I’m sure he is just itching to get back out there, play for Scotland and lead this team in attack, be really connected with those around him. There will be opportunities that present themselves for a player like Finn as he scans the defence and sees what is on offer and as long as we are connected around him we should be able to take them.

“We feel that we are capable of going there and getting a result and we need more than just a win, we need to win by a few points to get to third and potentially get to second. We have shown that we can play very well away from home and if we do deliver an 80-minute performance we will be more than just competitive. 

“We have played France a couple of times in the last twelve months, both have been both close games. We didn’t fire many shots in our game against them in November but it was right down to the last minute of that game and then a year ago we played some really good rugby against them. I would hope they know we would be a tough opponent for them.”

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Scotland enter the match on the back of some much-improved away form, defeating England and Wales recently on their travels and they will now look to bridge a 22-year gap back to their last away win over France. “I hope so. We hadn’t won in London for 38 years, we hadn’t won in Wales for 18 years so there is another number in there, another record that we would like to take away.

“Our players can take a lot of confidence in those two performances at Llanelli and Twickenham and the fact this is an opportunity more than any other as there are no crowds in the stadia. We felt that in our two home games and when we played away from home this season.

“If we are able to replicate that performance (against England) we will certainly be in with a shout of winning the game because it is the best I have seen us play over the last few years and we matched England that day upfront. It will be very relevant to our chance of success this weekend against the French pack, whether that is set-piece or just in terms of the collisions around their carry. We are looking forward to the challenge because France could go out and open up their game. 

“They have played some really good attacking play but it is based on a long kicking game and a solid defence. If they start moving the ball from anywhere it will be a great game to watch but our defence should be as concerned as it would be excited about the chance of getting the ball back.”

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Jon 5 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 8 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

32 Go to comments
A
Adrian 10 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

32 Go to comments
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