Head injury left Finn fearing his career was over
SCOTLAND star Finn Russell has revealed he feared for his career after suffering a horror head injury in last season’s Guinness Pro12 semi-final.
The Glasgow Warriors standoff fractured his left eye socket, broke his nose and was badly concussed in a clash of heads with team-mate Zander Fagerson less than a minute into the defeat to Connacht in May.
There was major concern for his welfare as he received treatment from medics as well as oxygen on the pitch at The Sportsground in Galway for nearly ten minutes before being stretchered off and taken to hospital.
‘There were things the medical staff were talking about, maybe having to go for operations that could maybe have finished me,’ admitted the 23-year-old, who was kept in a Dublin hospital for more than a week.
‘But although it’s a bad injury, I haven’t really let it hold me back. I’m just getting on with it, having a laugh, the usual.
‘It was one of those things you can’t see coming. It’s not like a cheap shot or jumping up and landing funny, it was just a complete one-off. The chance of that happening the way it did is never going to happen again.’
Russell hopes to be back playing for the Warriors in late September or early October, which would give him time to be available for Scotland’s matches with Argentina, Australia and Georgia in November.
‘With head injuries, they can’t really put a timescale on it as it depends how I react, especially when I get back involved in contact work next week,’ he said. ‘Now it’s down to me. If I get any symptoms, if I’ve done too much, I’ve got to pull myself out, unfortunately. With a head injury, it’s all about being honest. It’s a case of doing a little bit extra each day and see how you react.
‘You saw guys last season who were out for a couple of months with concussion so, with the fractures as well, you really didn’t want to rush it. There was one above the eye and one just to the side of it, a broken nose as well.
‘I remember everything up until the time it happened. Then I remember bits — being taken off the pitch, going in the ambulance and the medical room. There are bits I remember but not the whole thing.
‘There were a few fractures and stuff as well as the concussion, so they’ve been cautious. Because it was pre-season, there’s been no need to rush back.
‘Fractures like that, they reckon, heal up in eight-to-12 weeks. It’s about three months now, so the end of September is the target. If everything goes well, I should make that or the beginning of October.’
Russell was grateful for the hospitality he received from Connacht, and especially from the parents of Dave McSharry, who put his mother up in a hotel while he was in hospital.
McSharry was also going through a concussion nightmare that led to his retirement last week aged just 26.
‘The family were all over at the game apart from my little brother, who was in Thailand, and he found out on Facebook that I’d come off injured,’ said Russell. ‘I think he got the biggest fright because he wasn’t there.
‘My dad, my brother and sister all flew back that night but my mum stayed over. The Connacht people were amazing. The McSharry family put her up in a hotel and AJ McGinty’s family looked after her.
‘I was in hospital for four nights but that was more precautionary because they wanted to monitor me every day and make sure I didn’t get worse.’
With a return to action now imminent, the obvious question is whether Russell’s ordeal will affect his confidence and the way he plays.
‘I’m not too worried, I’ll just get on with it,’ he said. ‘I might wear a scrum cap — or I might not. I haven’t decided.
‘The medical staff want me to wear one. I’m wearing one in training to try it out, so I’ll have to see if I feel comfortable in it.
‘Psychologically, I’m not that fussed, I’m just looking forward to getting back into things. For me, it’s part of the sport, there’s nothing you can do about it.
‘When I first started in the gym, I felt a bit heavy. Since then, however, I’ve not had any symptoms, no headaches or anything worrying.’