(Reuters) – Finn Russell has had brushes with authority, criticised his own coach and been axed from the Scotland team but he is more valuable than ever to his side going into the World Cup in France.
The flyhalf has proven a non-conformist — both on and off the field — and it is that untamed spark that could ignite his country’s chances in a difficult pool at the tournament.
Often hailed as genius, there is no doubting Russell’s ability to dictate matches, and create game changing moments, and it is this unpredictable talent that Scotland will be banking on as they take on holders South Africa and Six Nations champions Ireland plus Tonga and Romania in Pool B.
“One of the best players to have come out of Scotland,” coach Gregor Townsend acknowledged despite their turbulent relationship.
Russell, who will turn 31 during the World Cup, was cast out of the Scotland team in 2020 ahead of the Six Nations for what was deemed “a breach of team protocol” with British media reporting he missed training after a night out.
After that he gave a newspaper interview in which he said he and Townsend “clashed quite a lot” and, despite playing under him for years, the pair did not have a “personal relationship”.
They patched up their differences, with heart-to-heart discussions during the COVID-19 lockdown, and Russell returned to the team.
“Because we’ve had this fallout, I feel like I can chat to him openly which is quite funny,” he said on a podcast in 2020.
He made it clear then, however, there were no regrets over what he said in the newspaper interview. “I wouldn’t take the article back. I might change the photo!”
Russell has since gone on to captain Scotland and emphasise how valuable he could be at the tournament in France.
He also played at Racing in Paris for the last five years, adding an intimate knowledge of local conditions to his game.
He is well aware it will be an uphill struggle for the Scots if they are to avoid exiting in the group phase for a second successive tournament.
“It is a really tough group for us – and no-one’s talking about Tonga either with the players they’ve got. But if you get good for a few games in a World Cup, that’s all it can take,” he said last month.
“We’ve got three or four really tough games, but it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to.”
