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Russell stand-off continues as Scotland name squad for England clash

By Ciarán Kennedy

03 Feb 2020

Finn Russell will not return to the Scotland squad for their game against England

Finn Russell won’t make a return to the Scotland squad for Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash, after being left out of the 37-man selection for the round two game at Murrayfield.

Russell was sensationally left out of the squad for last Saturday’s 19-12 defeat to Ireland in Dublin following a breach of team discipline.

The fly-half subsequently left the Scotland camp and returned to his club, Racing 92.

World Rugby introduced the five second law at the base of the ruck to counteract the rucking conga, yet the problem still exists.https://t.co/TIxuUiCZKj

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 3, 2020

The 27-year-old is reported to have spent the Sunday before Scotland’s Six Nations opener drinking in the team hotel, failing to stop when approached by team-mates and members of the Scotland backroom staff.

He is then believed to have declined an offer to stay with the squad after being informed he would be dropped for the Ireland game.

While Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend had left the door open for Russell to return, any potential comeback will have to wait, with Russell once again left out of the squad for this weekend’s game.

SQUAD UPDATE | 37-man Scotland squad confirmed for this Saturday's Guinness Six Nations round two Test against England at BT Murrayfield Stadium #AsOne https://t.co/4sF4ckyKWf

— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) February 3, 2020

Worcester Warriors Duncan Weir remains in the squad having joined last week in place of Russell, while Darcy Graham is not available having picked up a knee injury.

Adam Hastings started in Russell’s place last weekend, and is listed as one of two out-half options, alongside Weir, for the Calcutta Cup game.

SCOTLAND SQUAD:

FORWARDS (21)
Simon Berghan (Edinburgh)
Jamie Bhatti (Edinburgh)
Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh)
Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors)
Alex Craig (Gloucester)
Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh)
Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors)
Allan Dell (London Irish)
Cornell du Preez (Worcester Warriors)
Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors)
Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh)
Tom Gordon (Glasgow Warriors)
Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors)
Nick Haining (Edinburgh)
Stuart McInally (Edinburgh)
Willem Nel (Edinburgh)
Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh)
Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh)
Ben Toolis (Edinburgh)
George Turner (Glasgow Warriors)
Hamish Watson (Edinburgh)

BACKS (16)
Chris Harris (Gloucester)
Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors)
Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs) CAPTAIN
George Horne (Glasgow Warriors)
Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints)
Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors)
Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors)
Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh)
Sean Maitland (Saracens)
Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks)
Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors)
Henry Pyrgos (Edinburgh)
Matt Scott (Edinburgh)
Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors)
Ratu Tagive (Glasgow Warriors)
Duncan Weir (Worcester Warriors)

Watch: Sonny Bill Williams’ Toronto Wolfpack debut ends in defeat.

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Comments on RugbyPass

TT 6 minutes ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

My ‘fantasy’ team V Ireland,

Including options from ABXV if needed, as V Mun better V Ireland better prep than England.

The most important aspect V Ireland is AB need ALL their loosies AND 'loosie capable locks' on ALL match [except IF(?) any tiring ie the aging & slowing eg Cane]. As follows,

{starting} bench (3rd choice)

1 {De Groot} / Tu’ungafasi  (Williams)

2 { anyone that can throw!! }/ Aumua (Brodie McAlister)

Ryan! coach lineouts & Aumua to throw!

3 {Lomax}/ Tosi  (Newell )

Tosi immense strength V England  

4,5 Locks { P.Tuipulotu, S.Barrett }, Vaa’i, Darry

( Isaia Walker-Leawere)

Vaa’i off V Eng. Assumed due to leg injury(?)

6,7,8 Loose forwards { Sititi, A.Savea, Cane } Vaa’i, S.Barrettm, P.Tuipulotu back up (Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi  )

9 {Roigard }  Ratima  ( TJ )

10 {D.McK} Perofeta ( Plummer)  

12 {J.Barrett } ALB ( Q.Tupaea )

13 {Proctor} Ioane  ( AJ Lam )

 Ioane (off V England ) but Irish experience (NO not Sexton!)

14 { Tele’a} Reece  (bkup W.Jordan )

11 {C.Clarke} Narawa (K.Naholo)

15 {W.Jordan} Love  (Stevenson)

26 Go to comments

johnz 24 minutes ago

All Blacks talk late-game adjustments after clutch England win

I guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.

Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.

11 Go to comments

ColinK 24 minutes ago

Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

Whatever let's see if this load of waffle is still valid in 2 years time. ABs will rise we have a lot of new talent coming through. The NPC was the highest standard for years. The game is changing to suit the fast pace we like to play. We get to play the Springboks more, including the franchises, which will make us better! Overall I am optimistic. I will add having watched the England game multiple times we made most of the play. England are an awesome physical team, but you can expect the All Blacks to get better and better at executing the chances. It could easily have been 5 tries to one instead of 3 to 1.

1 Go to comments

johnz 32 minutes ago

All Blacks talk late-game adjustments after clutch England win

Ratima did look rattled, compared to Roigard who looked like a boss when he came on. But that's been Roigard in test rugby so far. Ratima is only really starting because of Roigard's injury, otherwise surely Roigard was the incumbent. So it's not just one outing of the pine, that just points to Roigard being ready to have a start. As good as Ratima has been, Roigard just offers more.

11 Go to comments

GL 1 hour ago

How surprise opportunities led Harry Plummer to debut for All Blacks

Cody Taylor is a more significant loss than BB, not even close!

1 Go to comments

JD 1 hour ago

'I never heard from Gatland... It kills me to this day'

Won't see a player like him nor, hopefully, an arsehole like him either. Odious kant.

22 Go to comments

CO 1 hour ago

Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I agree largely and I rate McKenzie as a wonderful utility at his best but now at twenty nine I wouldn't take him to the next world cup. I've never seen him as a a ten or a starter either at top tier test level. The bench needs a serious rethink with ideally a hybrid halfback/wing or a hybrid halfback/ten or a hybrid ten/centre to release that need for two relatively small guys on the bench.

32 Go to comments

RW 1 hour ago

“He’s given Connacht everything” – Bundee Aki’s future, and an exciting tactical innovation

Starting a go fund me for Bundee to Leinster 😜

3 Go to comments

CO 1 hour ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Unbelievable, the penalty count was so lopsided in last week's first half I'm certain the conspiracy theorists have already had a field day.

26 Go to comments

JWH 1 hour ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Good idea, but to move a lock to 6 now with no previous experience save Scott Barrett (who is still our best lock) ahead of the 2nd best equal team in the world may cause more harm than good in terms of confidence, in both caoches and players.

Re lineout options, the ABs have the most innovative lineout in the world, with FOUR lineout options (Barrett, Vaai, Sititi, Savea), compared to Irelands maybe 2 (Beirne and Ryan). ABs will absolutely cause issues at the lineout, and definitely at scrum time. Those Irish props eat to much salad compared to our boys 💪

26 Go to comments

JWH 2 hours ago

Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I never said boring was bad, but it doesn't necessarily go hand in hand with the ABs style. The ABs 10 looks like this: a little magic, good offloads, tactical precision kicking, draw and pass, and a cool head to level it off.

A game manager isn't exactly necessary, as the ABs should all know what they are doing, and the 9 should be directing the forwards. However, considering the youth of our best 9s currently, a more vocal, directive, and logical player like Harry Plummer would make more sense than someone like DMac, who is in his own right a good 10, but tends to sit in wider channels where he can threaten the line more directly, so has less influence on the postioning of the narrower forwards.

32 Go to comments

Kia koe 2 hours ago

How the All Blacks plan to challenge Ireland after gutsy England win

Yep yep I agree

26 Go to comments

Icefarrow 2 hours ago

The ‘unsung hero’ who helped All Blacks’ bench make a telling difference

B-but all the armchair critics tell me he's useless and does little for the team but get penalised... This simply cannot be!

2 Go to comments

Thomas K 2 hours ago

England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

So you think you’d definitely have scored way more tries if it wasn’t for all the off the ball shots? 🤣🤣