Townsend and Russell team up for French war
GREGOR Townsend has patched up his relationship with Finn Russell and now the Scotland coach hopes the stay-away standoff ’s tactical insight will help fill in the blanks as he prepares to shoot down France’s Grand Slam hopes.
A peace of sorts between the Dark Blues boss and his maverick playmaker has broken out after the disciplinary row which threatened Russell’s entire international future.
While he will now miss the remainder of the Guinness Six Nations campaign — including tomorrow’s visit of the French to Murrayfield — the Racing 92 ace has offered up some crucial nuggets of information on the players he plays with and against in the Top 14.
And Townsend admits they will be crucial as he and his coaching staff look to upset Les
Bleus’ bid for the clean sweep.
“We don’t know the French as well as the other teams, we don’t play them on a regular basis in the PRO14, and the French have brought a number of new players into their squad,” he said.
“Conversations with players who are playing in France, people who have worked under Fabien Galthie in the past, and also having a former French international (Pieter de Villiers) on our coaching staff has certainly helped. It was good to have that contact to help us with our preparation.”
Russell was stood down from action ahead of the Scots’ championship opener — defeat away to Ireland — amid allegations of a late-night drinking session and he has also missed the subsequent loss to England and win over Italy.
While Murrayfield chiefs have seemed to paint the issue as a disciplinary one, Russell insisted it runs much deeper after going public to reveal the extent of his breakdown in relations with Townsend.
However, progress was made last week by telephone when Russell agreed to help Townsend’s team in their preparations for this weekend, while further clearthe-air talks will take place after the tournament ends.
But Townsend was in no mood to give the matter any further attention this week. Asked if this week’s talks would allow his team to move on from an issue that has dominated Scotland’s championship, he snapped back: “That would be a good thing guys, wouldn’t it?”
Scotland had a mixed record against France last year, losing in Paris during the Six Nations before World Cup warm-up matches staged in Nice and Edinburgh saw the hosts on each occasion come out on top. However, with new coach Galthie in charge of a much-changed squad, Townsend will not spend much time reviewing last year’s clashes.
The head coach — who will hand hooker Fraser Brown his 50th cap tomorrow — said: “We’ve prepared really well and we’re up for that challenge.” Scotland: S Hogg (Exeter, capt); S Maitland (Saracens), C Harris (Gloucester), S Johnson
(Glasgow), B Kinghorn (Edinburgh); A Hastings (Glasgow), A Price (Glasgow); R Sutherland (Edinburgh), F Brown (Glasgow), Z Fagerson (Glasgow), S Cummings (Glasgow), G Gilchrist (Edinburgh), J Ritchie (Edinburgh), H Watson (Edinburgh), N Haining (Edinburgh). Reps: S McInally (Edinburgh), A Dell (London Irish), W Nel (Edinburgh), S Skinner (Exeter), M Bradbury (Edinburgh), G Horne (Glasgow), D Weir (Worcester), K Steyn (Glasgow). France: A Bouthier (Montpellier); D Penaud (Clermont Auvergne), V Vakatawa (Racing 92), A Vincent (Montpellier), G Fickou (Stade Francais); R Ntamack (Toulouse), A Dupont (Toulouse); J Poirot (Bordeaux-Begles), J Marchand (Toulouse), M Haouas (Montpellier), B Le Roux (Racing 92), P Willemse (Montpellier), F Cros (Toulouse), C Ollivon (Toulon, capt), G Alldritt (La Rochelle). Reps: C Chat (Racing 92), J-B Gros (Toulon), D Bamba (Lyon), R Taofifenua (Toulon), D Cretin (Lyon), B Serin (Toulon), M Jalibert (Bordeaux-Begles), T Ramos (Toulouse).
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand).