Beno Obano received a 21st-minute red card but Bath led a dramatic final 21-18 with three minutes remaining as Russell rose to the occasion delivering 11 points off the tee.
Alex Mitchell's last-gasp try saw Northampton Saints crowned Premiership winners but while the 31-year-old Scotland superstar felt the anguish of coming up just short, he believes as a group they'll be better off for it as they prepare for the new Premiership season which will be broadcast live on TNT Sports.
Russell told The Rugby Paper: "The reason it hurts so much is that feeling afterwards of wondering if you'll ever be back in a final as nothing is guaranteed in sport.
"It's a great match to open up next season by going up against Northampton Saints on a Friday night. We've got a few new players in and some new tactics to bring out.
"It was a shame to get a red card early on but I thought we had a great game on top of that. People were probably sceptical about us last year but we had a great season. Everyone wants to win the tournament so we didn't achieve our goal. It showed how good we can be, ahead in the final until the 77th minute, so that gives the group belief we can now go on and win it." While their title rivals have all seen big-name departures, full-back Matt Gallagher's move to Benetton is the only notable departure from The Rec with the club's pack bolstered by the signings of flanker Guy Pepper from Newcas tle and second-row Ross Molony from Leinster.
Denne historien er fra August 18, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra August 18, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Ten-try Chiefs show Pirates no mercy
TEN-TRY Exeter inflicted the backlash from six successive defeats in their worst ever start to a Premiership season on a young Pirates side suffering their own problems in the Championship.
South America look to keep on building
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Scarratt excited by new pathway
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Baxter: I want to make things better
ROB Baxter will not be walking away from Exeter, the only club still looking for a Premiership victory this season, believing he can get the Chiefs back on track and he cannot bear the thought of anyone else doing the job.
Pearce walks in his father's footsteps
PADDY Pearce is living a dream after emulating his father and great-uncle by playing for the club he supported as a boy, Bristol.
New England group will cause uncertainty
SO JUST when we thought that everything was getting sorted between the RFU, the clubs and players, a number of new agreements and a new group raises its head.
Galthie turns his sights to the future
FRANCE head coach Fabien Galthie offered the clearest hint yet of Les Bleus' future on Wednesday, when he released 19 players back F to their clubs for the ninth and final Top 14 round before the international break.
Gilmore has tightened up our defence - Anderson
CAMERON Anderson has hailed the impact made by defence coach Jason Gilmore, below, since he arrived at The Stoop in the summer.
Ampthill given 11-try lesson in class from Bath
BATH secured a thumping away success in the opening match of their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign against Ampthill at Dillingham Park.
New faces take the plaudits for Saints
NORTHAMPTON handed out a thorough lesson to a tame Leicester team in this one-sided East Midlands derby to launch the Premiership Cup.
