SCOTLAND’S DYNAMIC OUT-HALF Finn Russell says he has no intention of changing his style of play for the Rugby World Cup although he admits he would like to be more consistent.
The 26-year-old playmaker — whose half-time plea to change tactics engineered a remarkable comeback from the Scots to draw against England in the Six Nations after trailing 31-0 — said he does not want to come away from his second World Cup regretting he had played differently.
Gregor Townsend’s side, who were unfortunate to lose to Australia in the 2015 quarter-finals, are Ireland’s first pool opponents in Japan on 22 September.
“I need some consistency, but I’m still going to keep playing the way I’m going to play,” Russell said.
“At the World Cup with four group games, you need to be at the top of your game to get out of the group.
I’m just going to make sure I’m in the best shape I can be, and prepared as well as I can for the World Cup.
“I don’t want to look back and think if only I did this or that differently,” the 44-time international added.
Russell, who plays for French Top 14 outfit Racing 92, is perhaps the most inventive of the northern hemisphere 10s with his no-look passes and dummies.
However, Russell, whose talent was spotted in 2012 by present Scotland head coach Townsend when he was at Glasgow Warriors, says he is not going to single-handedly get the Scots to the knockout stages.
“No team can rely on one individual,” he said.
I’ll try and take a lead on the attacking side, but I’m going to be going to my centres, my nines (scrum-halves), my fullbacks, whatever, and asking them what they think, because they’re doing their job as well.
“I think when the team plays well it’s easy for me, the 10, to be the guy that’s controlling the game.
“I don’t believe it’s one individual that’s going to get us to the quarters or semis or final, wherever we get to.
“I think it’s going to have to be everyone on the same page.”
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