FLOORED BY FINN... BUT WE CAN’T LOSE ALL HOPE

Russell bombshell gets Scots off to rockiest of starts, but Sportsmail’s Three Wise Men still see reason to believe

How big a loss to Scotland is Finn Russell heading into the Six Nations?

ANDY NICOL: Huge. He is a fantastic player and has been brilliant for Racing 92 this season. Scotland needed to get their best team out against Ireland and now they won’t be able to do that. What makes it more frustrating is that his absence seems to be self-inflicted.

JASON WHITE: He is the form 10 in Europe and it is a huge blow for him to miss the game against Ireland. Hopefully, Finn works things out with Gregor Townsend and comes back in for the rest of the Six Nations. I would love him to sort himself out and be welcomed back into the squad as we need him desperately. ROB ROBERTSON: He is our playmaker and an inspirational figure in the dressing room. Losing him under such circumstances will hit team morale.

Did the punishment of a one-game ban fit the crime for Russell?

AN: If senior players and senior management felt his initial alleged actions were unacceptable, then it has to be a disciplinary matter. A one-match ban in this case is entirely appropriate. In any team culture, you have parameters where there have to be acceptable levels of behaviour. If Finn has stepped over the mark, then he has to be disciplined as the team culture is at risk.

JW: If he has broken team protocol, which is being alleged, then yes he deserves it. Gregor had to show that he was boss and there wasn’t one rule for Finn Russell and another rule for the rest of the team.

RR: It is excessive. Making him apologise privately to his team-mates, especially the new six uncapped players in the squad, and giving him a fine would have been enough.

Is losing Darcy Graham a big blow, too?

AN: Although not as big a blow as losing Finn, he was one of our main attacking threats.

JW: Darcy has the acceleration of a Formula One car in that he can go from zero to full speed in a few seconds and is a huge loss.

RR: Blair Kinghorn will come onto the wing in his place but doesn’t have the pace of Graham, who is a massive loss.

After Scotland’s early World Cup exit, will Gregor Townsend be facing the sack if things do not improve in the Six Nations?

AN: I hope not but he has a brutal schedule of games. We know how tough the Six Nations is, we know how poor our away form has been historically and we only have two games at home. SRU chief executive Mark Dodson might have to hold his nerve this year if he believes Gregor is the right man to take Scotland forward as there might not be too many wins to enjoy.

JW: Gregor’s relationship with Mark Dodson will be put to the ultimate test if there is not an improvement in terms of results. He is still in credit with Dodson but the fact is if the performances don’t improve, the nature of professional sport is results are ultimately what you are judged on and he could go.

RR: If Scotland are whitewashed, he deserves to go but only in these circumstances. Townsend can only pick the players available to him and he has lost more talent than he has found since the World Cup.

How many games will Scotland have to win to take the pressure off him and save his job?

AN: With how Scotland and the others performed at the World Cup, I think if Scotland win two games it will have been a good tournament, with three wins being outstanding. Anything more than that is dreamland.

JW: Two would take the pressure off and three becomes a positive Championship. The Six Nations is so short that you have to take something from the first two matches and Scotland face a huge challenge in Ireland away and then England at home.

RR: Three will definitely be enough and two might even do it.

Townsend has brought in a new defence coach in Steve Tandy and scrum consultant Pieter de Villiers. How big a need was there to have new voices giving instructions in these areas after the disappointment of the World Cup?

AN: Very important to make some changes, especially in defence. In the last three big games, Scotland have been down 31-0, 27-3 and 28-7 and it is tough to win any match if you are conceding that amount of points. I like the look of Steve Tandy’s CV and if Pieter de Villiers coaches half as well as he scrummaged, then he will be brilliant.

JW: You have to keep evolving and the biggest improvement I want to see is in our defence. We have shipped over 20 points too many times in recent games and the pressure to chase the games has been too much. Tighten up that area and a new voice might be just what is needed. The challenge for the new coaches is the short timeframe to make any significant changes and put their systems in place.

RR: I am not convinced Steve Tandy is going to make a huge difference but you have to give him the benefit of the doubt. Scotland haven’t had a scrum coach since Massimo Cuttitta left in 2015 and appointing a new one is long overdue. De Villiers played for France in the Six Nations and in two World Cups. If anybody can get Scotland on the front foot it is him.

How big a miss will be former captains Greig Laidlaw and John Barclay as well as winger Tommy Seymour, who have all gone into international retirement?

AN: The big loss will be their experience but the time was right for three great servants to retire. We have two young scrum-halves vying for the starting berth and any number of young back-row players are ready to step up. One area we might miss is Laidlaw’s ability to kick goals under pressure to win big games.

JW: The biggest miss will be Laidlaw, he was the cool head under pressure and whatever criticism was put his way he always bounced back to prove his worth. There are some excellent leaders in the squad and they need to take the opportunity and step up now.

RR: Laidlaw’s leadership qualities will be missed but all three had fallen down the international pecking order and this is the perfect time for them to go.

Looking at Scotland’s Six Nations squad, what excites you about it?

AN: The back line. We have a world-class player in Stuart Hogg, who is on fire at the moment and a rejuvenated Huw Jones adding even more firepower. Add in Ali Price, George Horne, Sam Johnson, Sean Maitland and Blair Kinghorn, then we have a backline that could shine with the right kind of ball.

JW: Even without Darcy Graham, we still have a really strong backline that can win us matches.

RR: Maitland doesn’t get the credit he deserves and after the problems his club Saracens has faced, it will be a release for him to get out there and play for Scotland. We also have competition between Stuart McInally or Fraser Brown at hooker and some good centres.

Who can be Scotland’s star man?

AN: Captain Stuart Hogg. He has made the move to Exeter and it looks like it has done him the world of good. He is electric and can inspire Scotland to great things.

JW: Jamie Ritchie. Jamie was my player of the World Cup and he looks like a potential Scotland captain to me.

RR: Hogg. Not having his close pal Russell in the Scotland squad will have been a blow but it will make him even more determined to do well for his country.

What concerns you about the squad?

AN: Adam Hastings is the next cab off the rank to replace Finn Russell and I hope he does well, but it is not like for like. Also I have concerns over the ability of the pack to match the physicality of the other teams. We have been bullied at times and looked soft against Ireland in the World Cup, so the pack really needs to up their game. .

JW: Obviously the loss of Russell and injuries to our front row. There is not an obvious loosehead that is putting his hand up and any injuries there, we are struggling.

RR: Scratch the surface and there isn’t much underneath, especially in the forward pack. Scotland need to keep their key players fit.

Do any of the six new faces have a chance of making an impact?

AN: Not really, although I look the look of Alex Craig, the big second row from Gloucester.