Russell and Hastings could be the dream team for Scotland
TOWNSEND BELIEVES TALENTED DUO CAN PLAY TOGETHER IN DARK BLUE
We have a good understanding and Finn takes me under his wing a bit
IT WAS a glimpse of what may yet come to pass for Scotland. A brief taste of a combination full of both potency and potential.
With a minute to go against Fiji on Saturday, Adam Hastings unleashed Finn Russell following a scrum in their own half, the Racing 92 star surging up the middle of the park while leaving defenders in his wake.
Anticipating his team-mate’s run, Hastings then appeared on Russell’s shoulder to take the return pass and touch down amid bedlam in the Murrayfield stands.
It was a thrilling moment and a move truly clinical in its execution. A fact not lost on Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend.
Hastings had entered the fray with nine minutes to go, playing fly-half with Russell moving from ten to inside-centre to accommodate the 22-year-old.
England have adopted a similar tactic in the past, deploying two fly-halves in Owen Farrell and George Ford together. Certainly, using Russell and Hastings in similar fashion would provide another option for Townsend — while also keeping their opponents guessing.
‘It could happen and not necessarily would it be Finn who would be the potential 12,’ admitted Townsend. ‘Adam, with the way he has run this year and his rugby ability, could certainly play 12. Finn likewise. It is something we will look at.
‘At Murrayfield in the first 1872 Cup game last season, Finn started and Adam came off the bench and Finn moved to 12, so they have done it before.
‘They combined a couple of times really effectively that day.
‘I would imagine that if it ever were to happen, it would be a certain way we would want to play to have two first receivers.’
The meeting with South Africa this Saturday may not be the ideal occasion to start the pair together for the first time — even for a risk taker such as Townsend. But Scotland’s adventurous head coach is not one to die wondering when it comes to team selections.
Hastings is certainly up for it. He has blossomed since Russell departed Glasgow Warriors in the summer for France and he was asked to fill the 26-year-old’s shoes at Scotstoun.
And the son of Scotland legend Gavin is eager for more action after finally experiencing Murrayfield wearing the Dark Blue.
‘I spoke to Finn before the scrum and mentioned that it might be on for him to go short,’ said Hastings. ‘Fortunately, it just opened up and he found me on the return.
‘I had a nice 20 metres just to take it in — it was a nice moment.
‘I don’t score a lot of tries. When I do score them, I am usually right on the line and I’m not really able to enjoy it, so it was just a nice moment with my family up in the stands watching.
‘I’ve been wanting to play at BT Murrayfield since I was very young, so I couldn’t ask for a better ten minutes after I came on. That’s the dream to go on and score, so happy days.
‘As for playing together with Finn, I don’t see why it couldn’t work. Every good 12 is a very good talker and obviously Finn plays ten, so if he moved out to 12 he will talk a lot and that just helps you at ten by giving you more time.
‘Having two ball players at ten and 12 — like England have with Ford and Farrell, and it has worked quite well for them — means you can chop and change. It helps with depth as well with injuries and so on.
‘We have a good understanding and he probably takes me under his wing. There’s a bit of competition after training if we are knocking about but we roomed together before the Fiji game, we got on well and we have a healthy relationship.
‘There is no animosity there unless I beat him in a kicking competition.’
Hastings has grown in stature ever since he made his Scotland debut against Canada back in June and has earned four more caps since.
Learning from Russell has helped his game but he also credits Stuart Hogg for keeping him on his toes.
‘Hoggy is a winner and he is so competitive,’ said Hastings. ‘Even in little games in training, he wants to win. When you play with him, you feel his passion.
‘Sometimes that boils over and he has shouted at me a fair few times as a young lad. That was not him being out of order. That’s just him. He wants to win.
‘He is a quality player. I wish him the best on his move to Exeter Chiefs but I am gutted to see him leave. He gets on my case for not passing him the ball.
‘Like a lot of players at this level, he wants the ball in his hands. If I throw a poor pass, he knows I am better than that and will get on at me.
‘It is never malicious. It comes from a good place. It is a confidence boost knowing I can go wide and, even if they are three on three or four on four out there, he is going to create a bit of space.
‘It is almost having a way out of trouble with Hoggy around.’