Scots will take fight to French, vows Finn

FINN RUSSELL has backed Scotland to come out fighting against France as they bid to get their Six Nations campaign back on track. Gregor Townsend’s team had high hopes of making a push for the title this year but Saturday’s 22-13 defeat to Ireland at BT Murrayfield has put them on the back foot. Now, with trips to Paris and Twickenham — two venues in which Scotland have never managed an away win during the Six Nations era — sandwiching Wales’ visit to Edinburgh, fly-half Russell knows his side could be facing another Championship of

frustration if they suffer again at the Stade de France in a fortnight’s time. However, the Racing 92 star — who set up the Scots’ only try against Joe Schmidt’s men with a daring intercept and offload for Sam Johnson — has promised a full-blooded approach against Les Bleus. The French will be desperate for a victory themselves after being hammered 44-8 by England at Twickenham yesterday. ‘We have three of the toughest games to come,’ said the former Glasgow flyhalf. ‘These are the situations you love to be in when you’re on the back foot and you have to come out fighting. We’re going to give it all we’ve got to finish as high as we can. ‘Frustration is the right word after our defeat against Ireland. Silly errors and a few defensive lapses cost us. We weren’t accurate enough. ‘It’s not anger, it’s: “Why did we have such a good first half and then we didn’t play the same way in the second?”.’ Scotland dominated the Irish during the first half but two defensive slips allowed Conor Murray and Jacob Stockdale in to score. Russell’s glorious pop-pass from the deck after stealing possession from Joey Carbery set up Johnson’s first Scotland try but despite pushing hard for a second, there was no breakthrough and Keith Earls’ second-half score wrapped up Ireland’s win. Russell said: ‘The first half showed how good we can be. In the second, we took the foot off the gas, allowed them into the game and they took control. Three slip-ups cost us. ‘There was a lot of knock-ons and we gave away penalties. Once you make one mistake, you make another. It’s a snowball effect.’ Townsend is sweating on the results of a scan on Stuart Hogg after the star full-back injured his shoulder. The 26-year-old was hauled off just 16 minutes into Saturday’s defeat by Ireland — despite protesting to stay on the pitch. The Scottish medical team will put out an update today, with Townsend hoping that Hogg will be cleared to face France next week. The worstcase scenario is him missing the rest of the Six Nations. Hogg was taken out by Ireland forwards Peter O’Mahony and Rory Best when he chased his own kick.