A OUI bit SPECIAL
Scotland’s French connection of Russell and Laidlaw can ensure a flying start by replicating their fantastic club form against Italy
FOR Scotland to have a good Six Nations, the half-back pairing of Finn Russell and Greig Laidlaw have to be playing well.
Fingers crossed but, with the Italy game just around the corner, the omens look good that they will.
Certainly, Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend thinks so and is confident his team’s very own French connection can get his side off to the perfect Six Nations start against Italy next Saturday.
The nine and ten based across the Channel are both in great form at their respective clubs, with Russell providing pieces of magic for Racing 92 in his first season with the Paris outfit.
The 26-year-old has been playing so well that he is among the 15 players shortlisted for European Player of the Year.
The old Russell magic has been on regular display with Racing, the club he joined from Glasgow Warriors last summer. He is showing a great understanding with the rest of his back division, setting up try after try.
The highlights so far include a flick pass out the back of his hand to Virimi Vakatawa, who then played in Teddy Thomas to score a cracking touchdown against Toulon only three weeks ago.
Having a creative ball-playing fly-half has also helped Ireland international winger Simon Zebo improve his game at Racing, with the pair combining for some great tries — most notably one in Europe against Leicester Tigers last December.
Laidlaw may not be as flamboyant a player as Russell but has helped Clermont Auvergne to the summit of the Top14 through some steady displays and excellent goal-kicking.
As things stand, they have 52 points from 15 matches, which is three points ahead of second-placed Toulouse. He has also helped Clermont through to the knockout stages of the European Challenge Cup with maximum points.
Having his half-backs at the top of their game is great news for Townsend, who will have no hesitation in starting both together in as many Six Nations game as possible, beginning with the match at BT Murrayfield next weekend.
Provided neither picks up a late injury — Laidlaw played for Clermont against Castres yesterday — it will be 33-year-old Laidlaw’s 67th cap for this country and Russell’s 41st appearance.
Elder statesman Laidlaw is in the form of his life and is showing no signs of letting his standards drop.
Ask him if this could be his last Six Nations and he would retire from international rugby after the next World Cup in Japan and he gives nothing away.
‘I feel really fresh, sharp and I am in overall good shape going into the Six Nations,’ he said. ‘I am not being overplayed at Clermont.
‘With all the concerns over head knocks, having some weekends off is a good thing. It means I can relax, not stress and take time off.
‘It’s brilliant to play in a winning team this season. I go into the Six Nations with a winning mentality because of it. We are flying high at the top of the league — and through with maximum points in the Challenge Cup. I am in a good place.
‘As for my own future in the Six Nations, I’ve not thought that far down the track, to be honest.
‘Any tournament could be my last with Scotland because there is competition for places. I’m certainly not getting any younger!
‘In saying that, I’m excited to be captaining Scotland at the minute and we’ll see what happens a bit
further down the track.’
Part of the reason Laidlaw feels in such good condition physically is because he has not been overplayed by Clermont. Being flogged week after week is one of the concerns SRU chiefs have when Scottish players leave for France but it hasn’t happened with Laidlaw or, it seems, Russell.
‘Sometimes the body can feel fresh but mentally you’re a bit fatigued — but that’s not the case with me,’ said the Scotland captain. ‘I am being well looked after. I certainly don’t feel overplayed, which is important as I’ve been managed very well at Clermont.
‘Morgan Parra is still at the club and that was part of the reason I went to Clermont in the first place as I knew we would have another
I go into the Six Nations with a winning mentality. Clermont are top of the league and I’m in a good place
quality scrum-half and that I wouldn’t have to play every week.’
Laidlaw was the man who helped get Scotland out of jail against Italy in the last Six Nations and his ability with the boot will be vital to keep the scoreboard ticking over against them again.
Trailing for most of the match in Rome in the last tournament, late kicks from the Scotland No9 saw his team squeeze home with a 29-27 victory.
The Italians had been 24-12 up at one stage, with Scotland on the ropes, but the revival was led by Laidlaw, who helped his team gain a foothold back into the game.
With barely a minute left, the Scotland captain held his nerve to put over the winning penalty in a man-of-the-match display.
‘We don’t need to look too far back to understand it’s going to be a tough game on Saturday as Italy always believe they can beat us,’ said the scrum-half.
‘The players understand that and we’ll reiterate that at team meetings
this week. We will talk through why we didn’t have a good performance away to them last year.
‘For me, the disappointing thing was we felt our performance that day wasn’t up to our standards. We let ourselves down regardless of what Italy tried to do to us that day.
‘The pleasing thing was we wrestled it back in the last 15-20 minutes of the game, got over the line and won. We can take lessons from that but we know we’ve got to play for 80 minutes this time against them, which we didn’t do in Rome.’
Townsend is in regular contact with Laidlaw and Russell, with the pair keeping him up to date over their fitness and form.
‘Finn’s not going to play this weekend for Racing 92, which is a bonus as there is no chance of him being injured before the Six Nations, but Greig will have to play for Clermont and we are hoping to welcome him back in the Scotland camp on Monday,’ said Townsend.
‘Clermont have been excellent with Greig and, as he said, he has not been overplayed but he will feature this weekend. ‘Racing 92 have communicated really well with us in terms of when Finn plays and when he rests. They want him to play well for them, play well for us and also play well at the end of the season when they are in quarter-finals and play-offs in the Top 14 and Champions Cup. The best way for that to happen is for him not to play all the time.
‘We will have to see what happens in the Six Nations, though, as he might have to go back and play a bit for them. With Pat Lambie having to retire due to concussion, Racing will have one fewer stand-off.
‘If they don’t sign someone else, Finn might have to play between our Ireland game and our France game, and the France game and the Wales game.’