Finn Russell

Finn Russell, born 23 September 1992 in Stirling, is a Scottish rugby union player who can play fly-half or centre, and currently plays for Scottish side Glasgow Warriors.^[1] In 2014, he had what Scottish sportswriter Andy Newport called "a meteoric rise [that] saw the former Stirling County youngster blast his way into the national team in the space of six months."^[2]

After secondary school, Russell worked for three years as a stonemason. He recalled that time in a 2015 interview with Newport:

"On rainy days it could be pretty miserable. . . . It could be tough but I enjoyed it. I'd be making windowsills, door frames, fire places – even building walls. But compared to playing rugby, it's night and day. If I ever have a bad day at training, I think back to what it was like working in that cold shed."^[2]

Russell, was first picked up by Glasgow Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend in the summer of 2012, after impressing for Falkirk and the Scotland U20's in the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa. He was selected to play for Ayr after the IRB Championship tournament, in which he helped them win the league and cup double in the 2012–13 season of the Scottish Premiership.^[3]

In 2013, he was part of the John Macphail Scholarship, in which he spent 15 weeks in New Zealand's South Island, playing for local clubs in the Christchurch area, benefiting from the state-of-the art facilities and specialist coaching offered by the Canterbury Rugby Football Union international high performance unit.^[4]

With Glasgow's top players away on international duty for the 2013 Six Nations Championship, Russell was named on the bench to face Zebre on the 10 February 2013 as part of the 2012–13 Pro12 season. He came on at the 56th minute to make his professional debut. During the 2013–14 Pro12 season, Russell made his first start at the club, starting at Inside Centre against the Newport Gwent Dragons at Scotstoun Stadium on 22 November 2013. Since then, Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Gregor Townsend, offered Russell a full-time contract with the club which began in the 2014–15 season.^[5]

Russell earned his first call-up to the senior national team during the team's summer 2014 tour of North America. That autumn, he started in all three of Scotland's November Tests against Argentina, New Zealand and Tonga.

Russell established himself as Scotland's first-choice Number 10 during the 2015 6 Nations, starting four of the team's five matches.^[6] He missed the defeat to Italy through suspension, his sin-binning against Wales having been upgraded to a two-week ban following a citation (and unsuccessful appeal).^[7] Russell scored his first international try in the final day defeat to eventual champions Ireland.^[8]

2014–15 also saw Russell play a prominent role in Glasgow Warriors' Pro12 title triumph. In the final match of the regular season, his personal points haul of 22 (including two tries) contributed to the bonus-point victory over Ulster needed to secure a home play-off.^[9] The following week, against the same opposition, Russell's extraordinary pass in the 75th-minute sent in D.T.H. van der Merwe to touch down and tie the scores at 14–14. Russell then stepped up to slot home the decisive conversion from a daunting position to send Glasgow into the Final.^[10]

In the Final at Belfast's Kingspan Stadium, Russell was again among the try scorers as Glasgow won their maiden title, also kicking four conversions in the 31–13 victory over Munster.^[11]

Russell was selected in Scotland's 31-man squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and scored a try in the team's opening match victory over Japan.^[12]

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