Bridge of Allan rugby star makes perfect start in Lions shirt for Aussie tour
It's two from two in the famous Lions red shirt for Finn Russell as he helped guide his team from another shaky start to a comfortable win Down Under.
The Bath star was named for his second match in four days in the number ten shirt against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Wednesday after helping the Lions to a first win on tour against Western Force in Perth on Saturday.
It was the Reds who opened the scoring on this occasion with prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen crossing the whitewash after a powerful surge from the hosts, who were well up for the contest.
Russell was instrumental in the Lions' responding score, working a neat wraparound move with Ireland centre Bundee Aki to allow England wing Tommy Freeman to streak clear and touch under the posts.
However, the Reds were back in front shortly afterwards when a good kick through the Lions rearguard allowed Josh Flook to race away and dot down for a try.
But the Lions hit back with nine points of their own before the break to lead 21-12 and then, as in the Force game, their superior depth off the bench proved vital as they romped clear in the second 40 to run out comfortable 52-12 winners.
Russell kicked four conversions to add another eight points to his personal tally on tour - and looks to have cemented his place as the leading candidate to start the Test matches against the Wallabies at fly-half after two strong showings.
The Bridge of Allan man was finally given a rest after 50 minutes, with England stand-off Fin Smith coming on to take over and continue the Lions surge to victory.
Russell has been left out of coach Andy Farrell's selection for tomorrow's dust-up with the Waratahs, but there will be much positivity taken in the connection between the fly-half and Irish scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park - viewed to be a key connection for the visitors.
After the match, Farrell said: 'It was a bit of everything. I don't think it was flowing from us.
'It was a little but stop-start at times, but when it was on I think we played some really good stuff.
'Our collision work was pretty good, hence why we kept them out in the second half. This is where we are at now with the tour, the games are coming thick and fast, and we need to keep pushing ourselves to get to the place where we want to be.'
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