Townsend to 'reassess' Russell's Scotland future after England match
Finn Russell has been told he will have to wait until Scotland have dealt with England before Gregor Townsend decides whether to welcome the stand-off back into the fold. But the national team boss refused to divulge just what it will take for the Racing 92 star to earn back his trust.
Russell was stood down from action in Dublin last weekend after breaching team rules with a late-night drinking session in the build-up to their Guinness Six Nations opener with Ireland.
Townsend spoke with the 26-year-old the day after his side’s 19-12 defeat at the Aviva to inform him he would be left-out again for Saturday’s visit of England, with Adam Hastings instead given the job of picking apart Eddie Jones’ outfit.
With rumours of discord between head coach and talisman over tactics, there are no certainties Russell will feature again this campaign.
But Townsend says he will worry about situation later as he instead focuses on the more pressing matter of working out how to extend his side’s two-year unbeaten run against the English.
(Continue reading below…)
Eddie Jones and Owen Farrell set the scene before England’s visit to Murrayfield
He said: “I spoke to Finn on Sunday night to let him know that we wouldn’t be making any changes to our squad. I will reassess things after we get through this weekend.”
Asked if it was a ‘positive conversation’, he quickly clarified, saying: “It was a conversation and it was telling him he wasn’t going to be back in the squad this week. We will look at things next week.
“Yes of course (he could feature before the end of the Championship). Just in the same way there’s a possibility that Sam Skinner and Matt Fagerson, guys who’ve been out who’ve been out injured but will hopefully be back in the next couple of weeks.”
Jones has certainly moved to address the weaknesses that his side showed in their tournament opener and has gone a significant way to dispelling notions of his stubbornness.
That said, some wider issues remain – writes @alexshawsport 🏴 #SCOvENG https://t.co/p5xvHUM8aS
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 6, 2020
Townsend was then pressed on what exactly was required of Russell to seal a return to the squad but quickly shot down the questions. “I’d rather not discuss that as we have a big game this weekend,” he said. “I want to be talking about the players who are involved in that game.”
Jones has been happy to talk about the Scots this week, however. The out-spoken Australian branded Townsend’s team “niggly” and accused them of trying to “goad” opponents. Northampton flanker Lewis Ludlam ramped up the pre-match rhetoric when he promised Scotland a “war” fuelled by hatred on both sides.
Townsend is not the type to get sucked into the mind games but was happy to agree that this weekend’s Calcutta Cup clash is the most important of the year for his side.
Small changes for both teams before the massive clash at Murrayfield! #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/tJ8lL1Cg7m
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 6, 2020
The Scotland coach, who has recalled Edinburgh back-rower Magnus Bradbury to his starting XV, said: “The media must love his comments. It’s a very important fixture for both teams on the back of a defeat. This is the most important fixture that we play every year.
“We play for a trophy, it’s the oldest game in the history of Test rugby and we know what it means to our supporters if we win this game. It’s nice that there’s a bit of spice about the build-up. “Rugby is a contact sport so you have to get yourself fired up for that contact.
“We know England are a very physical team, there game is based on a few things but the number one is winning gain line in attack and defence. We know we have to be even more physical than we were last week to win this game.”
– Press Association
WATCH: The Rugby Pod preview the Calcutta Cup match in Edinburgh
Comments on RugbyPass
Most underrated player in world rugby.
1 Go to commentsHow many fans will travel to Qatar to watch these games ? because if they dont, it will be played in front of a few disinterested unknowledgeable Qataris and then just becomes media ‘content’. Thats what Test rugby will be reduced to.
1 Go to commentsSo as long as the playmaker still has the ball IN his hands, its OK. Otherwise the timing is wrong and he’s a liability. No grey line there. Thats the rule he is advocating ? Got it.
3 Go to commentsWrite them off at your peril
8 Go to commentsJust fantastic that the professional game is finally being taken to the Pacific islands. Not before time. It justifies the mere existence of Moana as a club, hopefully they can start to get some positive results too. Check out the sheer joy of the crowds in Fiji and the buzz that having a home team creates. Tonga always had (has ?) issues with their ground not complying with International rugby standards, which NZ always used as an excuse for many years not bringing the All Blacks over. Hopefully this match is the first of many. Would be great to see some tourism grow on the back of it. I once went to the Cook Islands Sevens in Rarotonga - tiny island nation but man did they turn it on. Tonga and Samoa will too given half a chance.
1 Go to commentsQuite right. Punish the time wasters. Its BS these time delays for non-injuries. The Boks have been using it for years now to slow down opposition and now its a scourge on the game. Put players like DeGroot on the sideline and restart play immediately. Watch how 5-6 min to fix your boots quickly becomes 1-2 minutes. Better still how about some personal professional management and you check the conditions/turf beforehand and get yourself better prepared. It might even help your team.
1 Go to commentsWhat drivel. Rugby as a contact sport should not be further diminished by crying over legal hard tackles. Take on the line? Be ready to take the hit. This is PC nonsense.
3 Go to commentsGregor Paul is going to be proved totally wrong. The Crusaders will get in the top 8 and are capable of winning this comp. The return of magnificent captain and player Scott Barrett on Friday was huge. There are a number of players returning and Ethan Blackadder showed huge progression in only his third game back. Christian Lio-Willie has added a new dimension , these two’s combination with Cullen Grace was fantastic. This builds depth when you have outstanding players like Tom Christie and Dom Gardiner also available. The tight five improved ten fold and this is with Tamaiti Williams and Codie Taylor being back.Others are set to return. Johnny McNicoll on his return home has been a revelation. Paul can dismiss Fridays win by the Crusaders as much as he likes and he will prove very popular in this country in doing so. But he will be proved wrong , Rob Penney and his coaching team will have the last laugh.
8 Go to commentsI haven’t seen or heard to many whinging about Finau quite the opposite. The TMO’s have reviewed each time and taken no action, so if they have now been alerted it’s not from people whinging The player comes flying out of the line and launches himself at the attacker so it is probably ruled as a committed tackle, but at what point does it move to tackling a player without the ball Time will tell
3 Go to commentsThis cracked media record of aligning success or failure on head coaches is remarkable. Using the crusaders past history as an example, a more sensible observation and analysis could be that the recent head coaches had inherited a extremely successful combination of players linked to their traditional historical support of the Canterbury people. That period ended this year when the new coach was introduced to virtually a new team. And in a year where other franchises have grown much stronger than their respective past, it was always an anticipated reality that the coach and his new crusader team were up against it. Therefore, I humbly believe that unlike some commentators present, I laud coach Penny and the team for their efforts to date and I am sure given another term and with Canterbury behind them they will be riding high once more. Strange all this coming from me who lives in Taupo and a one eyed chiefs supporter. Can't wait for all future chiefs and crusader games!
8 Go to commentsGrt bench player..keep him there..
3 Go to commentsA Springbok 2-0 win: haha told you we were champions now shut up An Irish 2-0 win: the referee was under orders from world rugby to cheat us but luckily we don’t care because this is part of Rassie’s grand world Cup plan.
112 Go to commentsI hope they didn’t pay Jones fee?
2 Go to commentsTo be fair, the teams he's had to put out are reminiscent of those available to Gatland during his horrible run at the Chiefs in late 2020. Anyway, he's only got a two year contract and Wellingtonian Tamati Ellison will be ready by then, as will a lot of talented youngsters (like the Chiefs Gatland blooded). The Crusaders are planning for the long term.
8 Go to commentsGreat to see more community spending leading to higher participation in the community. It's a long road but that's a good first step.
2 Go to commentsPoetic justice for trying to sell him to Australia as another kiwi saviour coach, not ! Deans was just as bad actually but McCaw and Carter covered up for him. That’s why they didn’t want him as All Black coach, even after Graeme Henry’s bumbling effort in 2007.
8 Go to commentsSACK HIM !
8 Go to commentsSafas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
112 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to comments