Cool customer Russell not feeling pressure ahead of the World Cup
Finn Russell will be key for Scotland during the Rugby World Cup
©Steve Haag
With World Cup warm-up games for the Six Nations sides fast approaching, training is cranking up a notch as selection for the showpiece event in Japan edges closer.
Opponents are starting to really do their homework on key men they will come up against in the pool stages and some international players may be feeling the heat.
Some that is - because if you speak to the ever-relaxed Scotland stand-off Finn Russell you certainly do not get the impression that he is under pressure.
In fact, quite the opposite. The 26-year-old is feeling as good as he ever has having come into Scotland’s summer camp off the back of a strong first season in France with Racing 92 and masterminded his country’s second half comeback in March at Twickenham against England.
If the Scots are to go further than the quarter-finals that they reached in 2015, they will need Russell to be on top form in the forthcoming Rugby World Cup.
“I don't know if I thrive under it [pressure], it just sort of naturally happened that I became one of the leaders in the team,” he told TRU from Scotland’s base at the famous Old Course Hotel in St Andrews this week.
“As a 10, everyone looks to you for ideas on how you can start an attack.
“I know when I first came into the Scotland set-up, I looked to [scrum-half] Greig [Laidlaw] because he was one of the experienced ones. Now I think myself and him work well together, we've got a nice blend of experience.
“Whoever is at 10 is the attack leader, but you have to look at the other folk around you for help. I like that. I like asking questions and seeing what they think. It's about having as many heads working together as possible involved.
“If we go back [to the 2015 World Cup] I'd only been playing professionally for about 18 months, maybe a little more.
“Now I've got five and a bit years [at that top level] under my belt and it is different. I've played a lot of games for my clubs and a few for Scotland as well.
“I think as a 10 or a 12 it means that you're at the heart of the attack so I'll be trying to help my team out and will take the lead on the attacking side [in the World Cup].
“They [the memories of the last gasp last eight loss to Australia four years ago] are still there, but I'm not going to be thinking about the last World Cup. It was an experience and I can use it to help myself and the team, but I'm not using that to fuel how I do.
“This is a new World Cup coming up, a completely different tournament.”
Twickers talk
As mentioned, Russell had a big part to play in Scotland’s comeback from 31-7 down to draw 38-38 in the Six Nations match with England four months ago.
Indeed, he stood up at half-time in the changing room and exchanged frank words with head coach Gregor Townsend.
And the man with 44 caps to his name insists he would do it again in big games if it got Scotland playing the way they needed to in order to be in with a chance of winning in the future.
“With all players and coaches, you need discussions like that,” Russell said looking back on that Twickenham experience.
“It has to be open and honest. Whether that is myself or another player you need to have these discussions and say what you think.
“You might be wrong, but as long as you feel comfortable saying it.
“That is what I try and get out of the young boys. I ask them, ‘what do you think of that, what do you think of this?’
“The more the young guys speak then they will see things different to others.
“At half-time in that England game something was not working. I was just saying what I thought we had to do. Greig [Laidlaw] made a few points, Gregor [Townsend] had his points as well.
“I suppose rather than just have Gregor saying ‘we have to do this and that’ the more heads you have working together the better the outcome.
“I was a bit frustrated at how it was going and there are probably a few factors there as to why I said it and made me express myself as I did.”
A different ball game or two
On Wednesday, the Scotland players have a day off from their camp in St Andrews and, weather permitting, will be using it to play a game of cricket on Elie Beach and then a game of golf back in the ‘Home of Golf’.
“It has been a tough couple of days in camp so hopefully we'll get to enjoy it,” Russell said.
“I like both sports, my uncle [Bruce] played for Scotland at cricket and I like golf as long as the weather is alright.
“I have not played cricket in years. There are a few boys who play after training and stuff but I am looking forward to it, just switching off and whacking the ball about a bit.”
