Finn Russell
NAME: Finn Russell
DOB: 23/09/1992
POSITION: Out-half
CLUB: Bath
SCOTLAND CAPS: 87 LIONS CAPS: 1
Now on his third Lions tour, Russell was one of the infamous 'Geography Six' called in as cover in New Zealand eight years ago, while his 2021 tour of South Africa was disrupted by injury, making just two appearances, although he did feature in the third Test.
The Scotland out-half has spent five years each at Glasgow and Racing 92, while he is nearing the end of his second season at Bath, where he has played in a Premiership final and won an EPCR Challenge Cup.
Currently fourth in Scotland's all-time points list, with 436 points in 87 caps.
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The 42
9 hours ago
- The 42
Keenan and Gibson-Park get chance to remind everyone of their class
OWEN FARRELL WAS recently asked to pick out the best current rugby player and having lauded the individual genius of Antoine Dupont and Ardie Savea, he said he really loves players who 'make teams tick.' Players like Jamison Gibson-Park. 'I love watching the way he brings everybody into the game, and constantly making good decisions is what I'm drawn to,' said Farrell on The Big Jim Show. 'I appreciate massively the individual brilliance, but I've got a massive appreciation for people who make everybody else look good.' So does Andy Farrell. The Lions boss truly appreciates the value of Gibson-Park, who will make his Lions debut against the Reds on Wednesday. It would be an exaggeration to say that Farrell unearthed Gibson-Park but he seemed to see a higher potential in him than nearly everyone else. Even if the framing of Farrell's decision to pick Gibson-Park for Ireland when he wasn't first-choice in Leinster somewhat diminishes the credit the scrum-half himself deserves for his improvement, there's no doubt that they have built a brilliant working relationship. Farrell backed Gibson-Park, and Gibson-Park helped Farrell's team to take off. Now, they're hoping to kick it on to another level with the Lions. Farrell has been patient in making sure Gibson-Park is ready to go. His glute injury was managed carefully because the scrum-half looks like being a key figure in the Test series against Australia. As the unfortunate Tomos Williams' tour ends due to injury, Gibson-Park is ready to belatedly kick his off. Ben White has joined the Lions squad in Williams' place and Alex Mitchell is a fine player, but Gibson-Park is the clear front-runner for the number nine shirt in the Tests. Gibson-Park is the clear frontrunner at nine. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO Indeed, his halfback pairing with Finn Russell on Wednesday has the bang of a Test combination about it, all the more so given that this will be Russell's second start at out-half in five days. Gibson-Park and Russell have never played together, so they need to get rolling. Wednesday could be one of just two matches as a pairing ahead of the first Test if they're Farrell's preferred duo. Russell looked comfortable steering the ship against the Force in Perth on Saturday, impressing with his decision-making, kicking, and tackling. Now, it's Gibson-Park's chance to show that he's top dog. His ability to pick out a wide variety of passes is one of his superpowers. The Irish scrum-half has been a leader in terms of firing flat, fizzing passes across the face of defenders into blind spots on their outside. Advertisement He is a master of exploiting the shortside, regularly darting back there after his teams have played away from the touchline and taking advantage of any overeager or lazy defence. Gibson-Park's kicking game has improved out of sight in the last five years, while his pace and appetite for getting stuck in have also made him a strong defender. He ticks all the boxes as a scrum-half and now just needs to get rhythm back in his game as he plays for the first time in three-and-a-half weeks. Hugo Keenan hasn't played for even longer due to a calf injury, his last appearance coming back on 31 May in the URC quarter-finals. It has been frustrating for Keenan waiting for his Lions debut, but he knows Farrell loves what he brings at fullback. Recent form is important on these tours, but Keenan's body of work over the last few years gives him a big chance to start the Lions Tests at fullback. James Ryan will get up and running off the bench. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO The excitement of the warm-up games can sometimes lead to performances against relatively weak opposition being slightly overweighted, even if it is paramount that perceived Test starters still show their class in those build-up matches. It was telling that Farrell picked out Mack Hansen's moment of huge work-rate as the play of the day in the Lions' win over the Force. That's the kind of stuff Keenan specialises in, along with his strong kicking game, superb aerial skills, quality in contact, and extremely low error count. Blair Kinghorn is belatedly on his way to Australia, having won the Top 14 with Toulouse, and he is a more electrifying attacking player than Keenan, yet there is more to elite fullback play than that ability to create magic. There is a battle for Keenan, with England's experienced, balanced Elliot Daly also in the mix and Marcus Smith having played at fullback in the Argentina game, but the Irish number 15 must be backing himself to win out. Joining Gibson-Park and Keenan in returning from injury in Brisbane is the experienced lock James Ryan, who was hurt in the URC final. The 28-year-old is an ultra-aggressive presence whose ball-carrying has hit a peak this season, while he is also a strong lineout operator. Leinster and Ireland tend to have their best days when Ryan is fit and firing. He should not be discounted from the Lions Test squad mix, even with plenty of quality in the second row crop.
Irish Times
13 hours ago
- Irish Times
Owen Doyle: First game of Lions tour showed why the lineout is heading for same farcical fate as the scrum
Three flashes of sheer brilliance delivered for the Lions . In a poor first-half with many penalties conceded, plus a consequent yellow card, those magical moments provided a handy 14-point cushion. Things then improved in the second period and they swept aside a tiring Western Force . Referee Ben O'Keeffe will reappear for the first test, but this was little more than an evening stroll for him. He can expect a different challenge when Joe Schmidt 's Wallabies and the Lions share the same den. The Lensbury Club, near the Thames' famous Teddington Lock, has hosted many rugby events. About 20 years ago the world's referee cohort gathered there under the auspices of World Rugby. There were long discussions concerning the scrum put-in, which was not being whistled if the ball was delivered squint. The active referees argued hard that there were so many other scrum things to look out for that a crooked throw was not very high on their agenda. READ MORE My attempted insistence that a reasonably straight throw should be the first thing on their list, not the last, fell on deaf ears. After much huffing and puffing, it was agreed to allow a little leeway. Well, we all know where that quickly ended up; it is never a contest for possession. It is disappointing to see a similar issue, regarding the throw-in at the lineout, continue unresolved. Referees and their assistants seem happy to ignore it. This phase is in real danger of following the path of the scrum. It is on track to soon become just a restart of play and no longer that vital contest for possession. Which Irish players have impressed for the Lions? Listen | 43:53 The Western Force have, apparently, a very good lineout record in Super Rugby. That's hardly surprising if they are allowed to throw in down their own side. We saw enough of it on Saturday and the Lions weren't total saints either. But, ironically, a straight contestable throw by Dan Sheehan was actually nicked by the Force. The daft law trial of not whistling crooked throws if the opposition don't jump to compete has obviously put coaches into scheming mode. Everybody is at it now. Glasgow recently constructed a try by putting up a dummy jump while their thrower passed the ball directly to his front man. The front man, who hadn't budged an inch before receiving the ball, strode over unopposed. The Lions' Ollie Chessum contests a lineout with Western Force's Will Harris. Photograph: Billy Sitckland/Inpho It is technically true to say the Force threw the ball in straight, but often it was straight along the line of their own players. This translates as crooked in line-out law as the opposition cannot contest the ball. However, to trigger the referee's whistle, they must put a jumper up. The problem is that everyone knows match officials ignore the offence, so why would anyone bother putting a jumper up? It's completely counter productive. Unlike the scrum, there is a simple fix. It requires the match officials to understand that the throw has to be contestable. If it isn't, then they must not opt out of a very basic law, which is what happened to the scrum. Referees' positioning at the lineout is consistent. Without fail, they stand at the back along the line of touch. A small adjustment would usefully see them stand in line with the last man of the thrower's team. Then, if the trajectory of the ball's flight is directly 'at' the referee, it's safe to say it's not straight. [ Australian rugby's incendiary attitude towards nationality needs extinguishing Opens in new window ] The scrums were an easier job for O'Keeffe. Some were actually perfect, enabling us to watch backs running at backs. When the Lions bench arrived, their scrum put legal pressure on the Force, rather than driving across. Work done with the coaches, by World Rugby referees manager Joel Jutge, has paid an initial dividend. It is early days, but encouraging. Maybe he'll find time to chat about the lineout. The Top 14 final was an epic encounter. It was 33-33 at the end of normal time between Bordeaux-Begles and the eventual winners, Toulouse. The match was well refereed by Pierre Brousset. In addition to a jam-packed Stade de France, the city centres of Bordeaux and Toulouse were thronged with spectators watching on giant screens. It was another demonstration that the northern hemisphere does not have a problem with supporter numbers. However, the unions of the Six Nation must get organised and reject law trials that attack the heart and soul of rugby. It can be done. History shows that in 2009, those unions did succeed in persuading the reversal of several 'southern' radical proposals which were on the cusp of changing the sport irrevocably. Those particular proposals have never reappeared. Rugby fans at Optus Stadium in Perth were treated to an impressive Lions showing. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho The 40,000 Lions supporters who travel south will guarantee packed houses. They are true rugby followers who understand the nuances and core characteristics of the game. When the tour is over, if Australia still can't manage to sell rugby for what it is to their own public, then they should certainly not be allowed to meddle with it. Ian McGeechan, the foremost coach of his generation, brought Scotland to a grand slam in 1990 and then there were his Lions days. He coached the tourists of 1989, 1993, 1997 and 2009, having played for them in all eight tests in 1974/1977. Yes, you read all of that correctly. In 1974, in South Africa, the invincible Lions were unbeaten. McGeechan's centre partner for the four tests was Dick Milliken, of Bangor RFC, Ulster and Ireland. It was a delight to listen to 'Geech' in studio giving us his insights of how the Lions performed and how they'll go about building their test team. He should know – he's done it often enough. Finally, a plea to World Rugby. Don't do a 'Lensbury' on the lineout.
Extra.ie
14 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Queensland Reds game is make-or-break for Porter and Keenan's Lions chances
It's now just 18 days until the first Test against the Wallabies and time is running out for players to stake their claim to feature in the series opener in Brisbane on July 19. Andy Farrell rung the changes on Monday morning, making 14 changes to the side which made light work of Western Force in the first tour game on Australian soil. Finn Russell is the only player to be retained. It's an instructive selection from the Lions head coach. It probably wasn't in the initial plan for the Scot to start back-to-back games so early on tour, but Jamison Gibson-Park's hamstring injury has changed the picture. Finn Russell is the only player to be retained. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan The Leinster scrum-half admitted himself that the injury, which ruled him out of the URC Grand Final triumph against the Bulls last month, was far from a niggle and it could have put Gibson-Park's entire tour in jeopardy. Now, he is starting alongside Russell against Queensland Reds at a sold-out Suncorp Stadium and that half-back pairing must now be short odds to start en bloc against Australia at the same venue in Brisbane later this month. In truth, both were frontrunners before this tour. Jamison Gibson-Park will start alongside Finn Russell. Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland Russell, despite some well-documented disciplinary issues in the past, is a more mature and rounded player, on and off the field, these days. The fact that Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend appointed him as a vice captain last year spoke volumes, given how fractured that relationship had been in the past. Russell has only recently guided Bath to a first English Premiership title in 29 years. He's well on the way to becoming a Test centurion for his country. Fin Smith, his nearest rival on tour, is only 23 and has just 11 Test caps to his name. Marcus Smith, meanwhile, looks miles back in this No10 pecking order. Russell looks nailed-on for the Test series and a strong performance on Wednesday morning will only cement that status. Marcus Smith looks miles back in this No10 pecking order. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan This is Gibson-Park's first appearance in a Lions shirt but the 33-year-old already looks assured of a starting berth against the Wallabies. His Test credentials were only strengthened when Tomos Williams was ruled out of the tour with a hamstring injury. The Cardiff Blues scrum-half put in an eye-catching, two-try shift in Perth. Alas, his campaign is already done and dusted. Williams was making his Lions bow at age 30 and it's already over. He'll be 34 when the Lions tour New Zealand in 2029. That's a tough break for the Welshman. Gibson-Park would have been feeling a bit of heat from Williams before injury intervened. Alex Mitchell is a class act but the Northampton Saints scrum-half was one of several players who fluffed their lines against the Pumas in Dublin. Mitchell needs a massive game against the Waratahs on Saturday to force the issue but Farrell's mind may already be made up by then. No doubt, he is excited about the prospect of Gibson-Park and Russell working in tandem. Both like to play the game at pace. Both come alive when things get messy and unstructured. They are both instinctive, heads-up players who are thinking a few seconds quicker then everyone else on the pitch. Mitchell needs a massive game against the Waratahs on Saturday to force the issue but Farrell's mind may already be made up by then. Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland Gibson-Park and Russell will be great fun to watch. Farrell will want to see plenty of pragmatism, mind you. Yes, this Lions team clearly wants to play with tempo and ambition. But the tourists will need to play the percentages as well. If the Lions half backs can mix the highlights reel stuff with savvy game management, they are locked in to face Joe Schmidt's side in the coming weeks. Jack Conan is another Irish candidate who can cement his Test credentials with a big showing. This is the Leinster No8's first outing on tour. Conan has not been a guaranteed starter in Ireland's ranks in recent seasons. Indeed, it wasn't the case for long stretches of Leinster's campaign either, with Ryan Baird and Max Deegan getting the nod ahead of their esteemed fellow backrower ahead of a lot of big Champions Cup games. Jack Conan is another Irish candidate who can cement his Test credentials with a big showing. Pic: INPHO/Billy Sitckland But Conan has timed his run perfectly. Caelan Doris' injury opened up a slot in the Leinster pack and the Bray native seized his opportunity. The manner with which he guided the province to URC glory in the wake of the Northampton debacle spoke volumes. Conan has a lot of credit in the bank with Farrell and, crucially, he is the only specialist No8 in this squad. He is a leader and, having started all three Tests on the last tour of South Africa in 2021, Conan has been there and done it. This current crop of Lions forwards isn't lacking raw talent but perhaps there is a lack of genuine on-field leaders? Conan fits that bill. A big night in Brisbane and a fourth consecutive Lions Test start is in the offing. This is a big night for Hugo Keenan, too. The Leinster full-back has lost a bit of momentum due to a calf injury. This will be his first competitive appearance since Leinster's URC quarter-final win against Scarlets on May 31. Keenan's fitness is renowned and he will hit the ground running tomorrow. He has long been a favourite of Farrell. Hugo Keenan has long been a favourite of Farrell. Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland However, the classy Elliot Daly has not put a foot wrong on tour while Blair Kinghorn arrived into camp last night following his Top 14-title winning exploits with Toulouse. The Scotland full-back has a bit of ground to make up as well, but Kinghorn, with his size, passing skills and aerial ability, brings such an attacking threat. Keenan needs to lay down a maker. Same goes for Andrew Porter. The Leinster loosehead knows he's in a battle with Ellis Genge at the moment. The 29-year-old has such a commanding presence for club and country, regularly getting through 70-minute shifts. Porter is by far and away the best loosehead in Ireland. It's been that case for a long time. Andrew Porter tackles Western Force's Reed Prinsep. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan In Genge, Porter has a real rival in this Lions setup. The fiery Bristol and England prop is a serious operator and, to many observers, is a more effective scrummager than his Irish rival. Porter, for all destructive abilities and remarkable stamina, has fallen foul of referees when it comes to the scrum on a few notable occasions. Considering that the Lions management will feel that the set-piece is the place where they can really squeeze the Wallabies, that's a definite concern. A powerful scrummaging performance against the Reds is paramount for Porter. Because time is running out to impress. Some Irish representatives are in pole position but others are lagging behind.
