All work and no play in Paris gives Finn freedom
FLAIR to the point of recklessness has been his trademark from an early age.
But that attitude is serving Racing 92’s new recruit Finn Russell well as he adapts to a new enivoronment and language in a foreign land.
The 26-year-old is, as he describes it, merely adjusting to the challenges he was looking for on opting to quit Glasgow Warriors in a big-money move to Paris.
“Life’s good. I’m loving it over there in France. It’s very different, but that’s one of the main reasons I went, the challenges and the differences. For me as a player and a person it’s been great.”
To date, however, the experience has not extended to a full appreciation of his environment it seems.
“I am there to do a job,” he said. “I haven’t seen that much of Paris yet. When family and friends are over they see the sights and go into town, but if I have a game to get ready for I don’t really go with them. Walking around for a full day you can tire yourself out before a game.”
Girlfriend Emma and mum Sally have been among the most regular visitors and he reckons at no point has he been on his own for more than a week to 10 days since making the move in the summer.
But for all that the general impression he has given down the years of being a gregarious, life-and-soul of the party sort, he claims to be enjoying his own company.
“Back in Glasgow there was always people in the flat with Ali [Price], my wee sister and Emma being there most nights. Being over there it is good to have my own space and do what I want,” he said.
“I am just at a different stage of life and I think it is good because I can worry about me and what I need to do to get things right for training or the match.”
There are no signs that it has been in any way detrimental to his rugby so far, a highly promising start to his career in the Top-14 followed by last Saturday’s triumphant return to the Scottish scene, pulling the strings as revenge was gained for the national team’s shock defeat in Fiji last year with an eighttry rout of the tourists.
Russell is, instead, happy to go along with the view that the move to the more structured French approach will be good for his game.
“Me going to Racing was great for me because I had to establish myself as a player at 10, the decision-maker who controls the game. For me to go and establish myself was great for myself and my career. Learning a slightly different style of rugby and adapting to new situations has been good for me, “he said.
“I had to establish myself, I still am trying to, but a lot of that is to do with language. I can’t always get my point across because the bits of French I have are basic.
“For me as a rugby player I have been working hard on doing the basics well like passing and kicking so it makes it easier for the boys to feed off me. I am still settling in as a player and the guys are still getting used to me and the things I do that might have been more natural at Glasgow. It is up to me to do the basics well.”