Finn's Big Question Is Can He Keep Ireland Guessing

FINN Russell will be a big part of how Scotland do against Ireland in next weekend’s Six Nations game in Edinburgh, and the fly-half will be a main influence in whether they take the next step to becoming a competitive force in the tournament.

Scotland have been talked about, whether loud or quiet, internal or external, about when, where, and how they are going to turn over a top team – and then back it up with another big win.

Russell’s influence has grown in a Glasgow side which are going great guns, both in Europe and in the PRO12. With that comes an expectation on him to deliver, but like any fly-half he can only do what he does – which is to unlock defences by playing flat, and using his footwork or passing – if he is given the right ball.

Russell is prepared to give it a blast, but he is not as mercurial as a Carlos Spencer or Quade Cooper, because with the chances they took those guys could lose as many games for the teams they played for as they won.

Thankfully, Russell does not have the same risk factor as them, but nor does he have that same match-winning legacy that there is with established fly-halves like Owen Farrell and Jonny Sexton. The Scotland No.10 is not yet at the level they are at, where he is so indispensible that they would not have won international matches without his input.