by Finn Russell’s latest World Cup disappointment has not dampened his enthusiasm to play for Scotland as the talismanic full-back announced he has no intention of making himself available for the national team anytime soon.
The 31-year-old was stunned when he suffered a second exit from the pool in France in October, but told the PA news agency that he is keen to pull on the dark blue jersey as strong as ever.
“No, not at all,” he said when asked if his World Cup experience had dampened his desire for international rugby.
“If anything it made me more eager to get back into the national team again and try to get a few more wins and try to win something.”
Fellow Scotland star Stuart Hogg retired from rugby in the summer at the age of 31 but Russell, who is just a few months younger than the former full-back, aims to still work at a level that allows him to go to his fourth World Cup in 2027. .
The midfielder, who recently joined Bath after five years in France with Racing 92, will turn 35 in the week before the show begins in Australia.
“I hope so,” he said. “With age, I will be able to do that. It’s about whether I’m playing well enough or not, so hopefully. I have no intention of finishing internationally any time soon.”
This year’s World Cup, in which Scotland beat South Africa and Ireland, took a toll on Russell.
Instead of taking a holiday immediately afterwards, he chose to throw himself straight into club rugby with new side Bath, making his substitute debut against Newcastle just a week after the Irish suffered a disappointing defeat. .
But as one of Scotland’s vice-captains, he has been in touch with head coach Gregor Townsend to dissect the competition in order to improve for the upcoming Six Nations.
“I just got into something new after the World Cup so I didn’t let myself think about it as much as other people might have,” he said. “I think that’s fine, though. It’s always in the back of your mind.
“I had a call with Gregor just to chat and give my opinion on how we could do better at the World Cup, how we could develop, and how we could use it as a learning curve for us and for the whole team.
“We were both talking about how we thought the World Cup went, where we can grow and develop from, how we can improve as a team and both of us as individuals – me as a player and him as a coach.
“It wasn’t like we were blaming each other or anything like that, it was just a good conversation to get us going in the right direction.
“The style of rugby we are playing is very exciting and we are scoring tries but obviously we had a disappointing result against Ireland in particular.
“We’ll have to deal with a few things from the World Cup that didn’t go as planned and we’ll have to grow as a group and get better but I’m really looking forward to the Six Nations coming up and trying to achieve. something.”
Russell himself is in a good place. After five years in Paris, he and his young family have enjoyed a “very easy transition” to life in Bath over the past few months.
Having started seven games since Gallagher’s Premier League side last played, the team feels fit and fresh.
“I’m feeling good,” he said, speaking ahead of Saturday’s Champions Cup trip to Cardiff. “I came back straight after the World Cup and played the following week so I didn’t have a week to wait for the World Cup.
“I just wanted to move on to the next thing and get a new focus right away.
“After a few games, I had a week off and went to New York with my partner and it was nice to get away and relax.
“Even though the World Cup was frustrating, it was good to get back here and get some good results.
“It was a new challenge with a new team and I’m feeling fresh.
“I settled in smoothly, easily, quickly, which was brilliant and from a rugby point of view, we were playing well. So far, as well. I’m enjoying it.”
As well as the usual club and country stuff, a third British and Irish Lions tour will soon be on Russell’s horizon.
The Scottish superstar went to New Zealand in 2017 and South Africa in 2021 and is likely to link up with Australia again next summer.
“I know something is coming up and it will be in the back of my mind but my main focus at the moment is doing as well as I can with Bath and Scotland and then we’ll get to the Lions when it’s over ,” he said.
“I think that will be the goal of everyone in the UK and Ireland after the World Cup but we are a long time away. I just want to do my job for Bath and Scotland.”
