Finn in mood to finish off Ireland

GREIG Laidlaw has warned Ireland to beware Finn Russell after revealing the Scotland stand-off is in the mood to wreak further havoc after masterminding the dismantling of England.

The Glasgow playmaker came under sharp scrutiny as he opened his NatWest 6 Nations campaign with a pair of sub-par displays against Wales and France.

However, he was back to his flamboyant best pulling the strings for Gregor Townsend’s side as they roared to a stunning 25-13 Calcutta Cup triumph over England two weeks ago.

The 25-year-old, who will make a big-money switch to French giants Racing 92 this summer, played a crucial part in two of the Scots’ three tries and was named Man of the Match at Murrayfield.

It was a delight to see for his right-hand man Laidlaw and the scrum-half reckons Russell has rediscovered his groove at just the right time as Scotland aim to blow the championships wide open with victory over J o e S ch m i d t ’s G r a n d Slam-chasers.

“When Finn’s i n t hat confident mood we feel as though we can break any defence in the world,” said the vice-captain ahead of tomorrow’s Aviva Stadium showdown.“We’ll need him to play well.

“It’s brilliant to play with and be alongside him. The players around him love having him there as he has such a sharp pass.

“Finn was exceptional against England. He’s a world-class player. He may have had sticky moments in the first two games but you never get it all your own way in Test rugby.”

Greig Laidlaw (left) and Finn Russell.