The Gregor Townsend verdict on Finn Russell recall as Scotland No10
Gregor Townsend has praised the professionalism of Finn Russell after he handed the recalled stand-off an instant return to the Scotland starting XV for Sunday’s showdown with New Zealand. The high-profile 30-year-old was controversially left out of the initial squad for the autumn internationals, with the head coach citing concerns about form and consistency as he instead opted to place his faith in Blair Kinghorn and Adam Hastings.
However, Russell – who has had a strained relationship with Townsend at times in recent years – was called up at the start of this week after Hastings withdrew following an injury sustained in last weekend’s victory over Fiji. “Finn has been excellent,” said Townsend when asked how the fly-half had slotted back into the international set-up for the first time since March.
“He came into the squad on Tuesday. He has got other things going on in his life which are very important. His partner Emma is close to giving birth, but since he has come in he has been very professional. He has trained well, has led the attack very well.”
The absence of Russell has dominated the narrative throughout the autumn campaign but Townsend explained that his return to international prominence with Scotland is down to a combination of Hastings’ injury and his own upturn in club form in recent weeks with Racing.
“I’m happy with his form (at club level),” said Townsend. “I mentioned when I announced the squad that he had been playing better in the two weeks before we announced it. But at the time Blair had played in the summer tour for us and been playing well for Edinburgh, and also Adam Hastings has been outstanding for Gloucester this season.
“Finn and Adam wouldn’t have been available to play the Australia game (which fell outside the international window), so Blair started and Ross Thompson was on the bench. We backed Adam and Blair last week (against Fiji). Adam played well and unfortunately picked up an injury so he is desperately disappointed to miss out this weekend.
“But for us to be able to call up someone who has played very well for the team in the past, has played against New Zealand a few times, and most importantly has been in really good form the last few weeks, it’s great to have that depth in that position.
“It’s a positive thing that Finn has played well since he wasn’t selected. It’s a great response. Whether that is a response to not being selected or he has just been focusing on what he was doing with his club, we have got a player in form and physically he is in great shape. This opportunity has come about because of Adam’s injury but we are delighted to bring Finn back in at a time when he is playing really well.”
Townsend has no concerns about Russell starting his first Scotland match in eight months against the might of the All Blacks. “There were a number of players who played last week who hadn’t played for eight months – Chris Harris, Stuart Hogg, guys that missed out on the summer tour,” said Townsend. “If players are going to perform and fit back in the team, it’s easier to do that if you have played for the team on a number of occasions, which Finn has.”
Russell’s return appears to have led to Kinghorn, who was the first-choice No10 in the summer tour and started against Australia, slipping down the pecking order. The Edinburgh player is a substitute on Sunday. “Blair was on the bench last week so he’s not been demoted,” said Townsend. “He told me he is disappointed and that is great because you want players to be upset because that means they believe they can do a better job than the player you’ve picked.
“Blair had a number of opportunities to develop on the summer tour and he has developed really well, Adam had the chance last week and was taking it until he got his injury. We just believe that for a game at this level, experience counts for a lot and Finn certainly brings that. The cohesion he has with Ali Price is important too so we feel those are really strong factors for us this week.”
In addition to Russell replacing Hastings, the other two changes in the Scotland XV see Fraser Brown and Sione Tuipulotu replace George Turner and Cam Redpath.
Comments on RugbyPass
Je suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate 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
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 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.
25 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.
25 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?
11 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.
11 Go to comments