Excluded from the Scottish group for the first two matches of the Six Nations Tournament (defeats against Ireland and England) for a misconduct, the opener of Racing 92 Finn Russell criticized Sunday the lack of communication of the coach Gregor Townsend . Russell had been excluded from his selection for having drunk late at night in full preparation. The talented but sometimes whimsical opener pointed in particular to a “lack of confidence” within the selection linked to the fact that Townsend would be completely sealed off with any different opinion on the tactics to be implemented.
On the website of the Scottish Federation (Scottish Rugby), Gregor Townsend wanted to respond to his criticisms. According to him, the opener of Racing 92 could return to the national team, but he will have to learn to put the "best interests of the team" first and to respect the high standards set for the team. “We strive to create an environment so that players are at their best when they play for Scotland. For this, players must align themselves with the high standards set for a high level team. It is really important that they commit to respecting what is agreed in terms of behavior. These standards don't change for a player. ”
“I left this meeting really confident that Finn would play a major role. Unfortunately, things did not go as well as we would have hoped… ”
Gregor TownsendAnd to add: “What is important is that you stick to what has been agreed and give priority to the interests of the team. The door will be open to any player with the required skill level ... However, he (Russell) said this weekend that everything else must change in order for him to return, rather than accepting and adhering to standards currently set by the group. "
XV thistle coach gives his version of the facts and specifies that “Finn left the camp because of a disagreement on the question of alcohol with other players and he chose to miss training and meetings the next day. I arranged to meet him that evening. It was a really positive meeting where we talked openly about life, rugby and what it means to play for Scotland. I left this meeting really confident that Finn would play a major role in our environment and be a full member of the team. Unfortunately, things did not go as well as we would have hoped… ”
READ | Scotland Head Coach Gregor Townsend outlines his position on the absence of stand-off Finn Russell from Scotland camp, and responds to comments made in a national newspaper yesterday.https: //t.co/xyTOLm2sDr
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