Fans are all saying the same thing about Finn Russell after Bath win the Challenge Cup final
Finn Russell salutes the Bath fans post-game in Cardiff
Friday night’s influential display by Finn Russell in Bath’s Challenge Cup final win over Lyon has generated an almost universal outpouring of love on social media for the Scottish fly-half.
It was 10 years ago – Glasgow’s defeat of Munster in a PRO12 final in Belfast – when the 32-year-old last won a trophy.
However, just weeks after securing British and Irish Lions selection for their tour to Australia, Russell turned on the style in Cardiff to help Bath, his current club, remain on course for a treble trophy-winning season.
Johann van Graan’s side got the potential hat-trick of titles rolling when collecting the Premiership Rugby Cup in March, beating Exeter with a team minus their international stars due to the Six Nations.
Now, after adding the Challenge Cup to their 2024/25 hit list, their star-studded squad is on course to sweep the boards as they are entering next month’s Gallagher Premiership play-off as the No.1 ranked side in the English league.
“Another seamless kicking display from the unreliable maverick…”
For Russell, his progress under van Graan has been exemplary since joining the club from Racing 92.
Nearing the end of his second season at The Rec, fans are thrilled that he is no longer starved of a title after a decade-long wait in his stellar career.
Some on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, have now used Bath’s Principality Stadium win as a reason to call out those who feel Russell’s style of play would be a risk for Andy Farrell’s Lions:
Andrew Morrison: “To anyone that thinks Finn Russell is a big risk for the Lions due to his playing style then I suggest you watch this final. An absolutely phenomenal talent that does not get the respect he is due for how well he reads the game!”
Peter Clark: “What’s that? Another seamless kicking display from the unreliable maverick that’s Finn Russell? You just can’t trust him in the big games…”
Dylan Carter: “Finn Russell is effortlessly cool man.”
Bath Rugby are EPCR #ChallengeCupRugby Champions after defeating Lyon! 🏆
Second trophy in the bag this season for Johann van Graan’s treble-chasers 🛁 pic.twitter.com/WjUMGMxyHD
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) May 23, 2025
Tom English: “Finn Russell had to wait a ludicrously long time – 10 years – to win the second major trophy of his career, but it was good when it came. Not flashy, but classy and in control tonight against Lyon. This could be the season of the fly-half’s dreams.”
Rupert Collier: “Enjoyed watching the unpredictable, unreliable, flash in the pan, loses you as many games as he wins you, highly over-rated, maverick interception monkey Finn Russell guide Bath to a Challenge Cup win. He might win the Prem too. Wouldn’t that be inconvenient for the haters!”
Steven Brown: “Finn Russell is on fire!”
Finlay Morrison: “A bit distracted with McTominay’s heroics, but also great to see Finn Russell with a winner’s medal around his neck last night, almost 10 years since his last one. Hopefully, the first of many in the coming weeks and months for him.”
Despite Russell’s obvious winning contribution, he still had his detractors:
Daam Human Stan Account@GoTeamGoSports1: “Finn Russell throws more passes to the opposition and the ground than to his own teammates.”
The final, meanwhile, provided the opportunity for one fan to reply to a recent critical tweet about the Scottish No10:
Tight Five Rugby: “Nobody throws more intercept passes than Finn Russell.”
Jamie Duncan: “Really??? Fin Smith is calm and controlled but a lot of play is off the Saints’ 9 and Marcus runs a lot more himself rather than passing. Russell has high passing % stats, he just more regularly attempts the big passes which others fear even thinking of…”
