1
'I'm allowed to express myself': The secret behind Finn Russell's recent form
Finn Russell put his sensational recent form for Scotland down to finding renewed harmony with head coach Gregor Townsend.
ADVERTISEMENT
The pair have had a strained relationship at times but the talismanic stand-off explained how a telephone chat in November, after he had been left out of the initial squad for the autumn internationals, has helped them get “on the same page”.
Russell has looked back to his brilliant best since returning to the dark blue jersey for the mid-November Test against New Zealand, with his latest magnificent display coming in Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations destruction of Wales.
“Before I came back in the autumn, Gregor called me on the Saturday or Sunday night,” the Racing 92 fly-half explained. “I said to him before I came back in that I’d like for me and him to chat through a few things, not in terms of the stuff outside rugby, more the rugby side of it.
“There were a few things I may not have been happy with, or he might not have been happy with.
“It wasn’t a case of clearing the air, it was more about us getting back on the same page and being open and honest with each other as to where he is at mentally with his game-plan and how he wants things to run, and me having my input and saying what I think as well.
“Me and Gregor are in a much better place now than where we were a year ago. We are on the same page and I’m allowed to express myself. Not that I wasn’t before but I think the way that me and Gregor are working together is really helping me.
“I think Gregor and I get on better than we ever have done before. It’s not just us chatting about rugby, him being the coach and me being the player. It’s more just us chatting away and getting to know each other. We are both on the same page now and have a good relationship.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Russell admits he struggled with “fatigue” last season on the back of the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour but he feels that becoming a father in November, and the lifestyle changes that has involved, has also helped him get back on track.
“If I’m happy and playing good rugby I’ll enjoy myself off the field and vice-versa: if I’m happy and enjoying myself off the field, I’ll be playing good rugby,” he said. “Last year was a poor season for me.
“I was probably tired and fatigued and didn’t really change anything myself whereas this year, partly because of my partner being pregnant, I’ve had to change my lifestyle and everything around that, and my rugby’s probably changed as well.
“There have been a few big differences in the last 12 months for me and that’s probably helping me now.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Russell claimed the man-of-the-match award in Saturday’s 35-7 win over Wales as he directly assisted three of the Scots’ five tries and also played a prominent part in another.
“It was really good, I played well,” he said. “I pretty much did my job as a 10, which is to make the other boys look good, to create these chances for them to finish off. It was the first game my daughter [Charley] was at. It was a special game for me because she was there for the first time, we got a great result and I played quite well.
“When I wasn’t involved (for the first two autumn Tests), I missed it and wanted to get back in there so I’ve loved being back in camp. We’re playing good rugby but there’s still a lot more to come so it’s exciting times.”
Comments on RugbyPass
This is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
6 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
1 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
86 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
2 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
3 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
86 Go to commentsHas this guy been dope tested? Sounds like a case of “roid rage”.
1 Go to commentsI would like to see him say that to Eben face to face in a dark alley.
86 Go to commentsYep, lost in translation. There are arrogant people in Ireland, yes. As there are arrogant people in every country, but as a nation, arrogance is not a general characteristic in Ireland. There has not really had a strong representation for any global sport over the years, and hence arrogance is not endemic to Irish people in this regard. I seriously doubt that was said or meant by 12 or 13 players. If it was said, it would have been said in jest and to pay Etzebeth and the Springboks a compliment for how hard fought the game was.
86 Go to commentsOne of the few Bidwell articles I can agree with. If coaches played their players through niggles and consistently played them 80mins then you could make an argument for resting protocols - they obviously don’t and are incredibly responsible, let’s give up the resting nonsense and let the boys play.
4 Go to commentsDaniel Gallan, please for the love of all that is holy, stop writing about rugby. Or at the very least stop telling people you are South African.
21 Go to comments