Initial omission is in the past for new arrival Russell

LIONS new boy Finn Russell has insisted he has no hard feelings after being controversially left out of the original squad by Warren Gatland.

Although Russell showed more spark and inventive play in the Six Nations than Johnny Sexton of Ireland, Owen Farrell of England and Dan Biggar of Wales, Gatland took them instead.

His talents were to the fore in Sydney yesterday as, despite coming in for some rough treatment, he scored a try and was also involved in the build-up to the touchdown from Hamish Watson. Russell (right) also put over three penalties.

On being asked what it felt like to be left out of the original Lions squad, Russell said: ‘That’s sport for you. That’s the team Gatland picked and that sometimes happens.

‘There’s a few boys who would have been disappointed, but you’ve got to get over these things and move on to the next thing quickly. It’s tough, but you get on with it.

‘My mate back home texted me the other day to ask if I was going with the Lions, but I didn’t have a clue. I just had to focus on the Australia game, so I didn’t think about it too much at all.

‘I knew the Lions were in New Zealand and we were close in Australia but I hadn’t thought about things much. I’ve just been focusing on playing well here and doing as well as I can for Scotland.’

Although the call-up of Russell was on the cards at some stage, having loose-head prop Allan Dell called up came out of the blue and took even him by surprise. He only played as often as he did for Edinburgh last season because first-choice props Alasdair Dickinson and Rory Sutherland were injured for most of the season. He won the first of his nine Scotland caps in the one-point defeat to Australia at Murrayfield seven months ago. The South African-born prop, who qualifies for Scotland through his grandmother, was stunned even after hearing he had been selected. ‘I had no idea it was coming,’ said Dell. ‘Unlike Finn, I had no idea before the match I was in the frame. It was only in the bus leaving the game when Gregor announced it that I knew I was going. ‘It is a huge honour but I am absolutely stunned. What happens now? I get on a flight with Finn to New Zealand but after that I have no idea.’

Gatland, meanwhile, has come under fire for calling up four Wales players never quoted as contenders, just because they are close at hand.

Wales are touring New Zealand, which is why Gatland went for the quartet of Cory Hill, Kristian Dacey, Gareth Davies and Tomas Francis, in addition to Russell and Dell, over England players touring Argentina — and even Ireland players who are currently in Japan.

Gatland said: ‘Bringing in these players from an identical time zone, who can hit the ground running … rather than having to adjust following long-haul travel, will help us manage players before the first Test, give us quality training numbers to prepare properly as well as offering us options for selection for the Chiefs match.’

Former Lions coach Sir Ian McGeechan commented: ‘It’s hard to justify geography. Where you are shouldn’t determine that you’re in a Lions jersey.’