Finn Russell calls out Scotland team-mates for ignoring clear instructions against Wales

Finn Russell was angry with his Scotland team-mates, who he claims were not listening to the instructions he was giving them on Saturday.

The captain, who was taking on sole leadership of the side in the absence of Rory Darge, was speaking after their victory over Wales.

Scotland opened their Six Nations campaign with a 27-26 triumph in Cardiff, but the overriding emotion was one of frustration.

Big lead

They almost let a 27-0 lead slip, with their ill-discipline letting Wales back into the game in the second period.

George Turner and Sione Tuipulotu were yellow carded after the break as Warren Gatland’s men scored 26 unanswered points.

The visitors managed to escape with the win, but Russell was disappointed in his team-mates’ refusal to ease off at the breakdown.

“The frustrating thing is the points I was making weren’t being listened to,” he told BBC Sport.

“I told them to leave the ruck and they still kept on going in at the ruck and we get a yellow card for going in at the ruck too many times and for offside.

“It is something we will have to review as a team and when we are getting messages from coaches and players we have to listen to it.

“If the message is leave the ball and players are still going for it, those individuals need to look at their game and what they are doing because it is putting us under pressure.”

Russell also suggested that some complacency seeped into the Scottish ranks after Duhan van der Merwe’s second try gave them a dominant advantage.

“The win is brilliant but that second half was nowhere near where we need to be,” he said.

“First half, we controlled the game and second half discipline was poor. When we scored that try early in the second half we probably just got a bit complacent to be honest.

“We probably thought the game was done but there was a long way to go, especially against them at home.”

Positives

Russell admits that they need a vast improvement against France at Murrayfield next weekend, but is pleased that they managed to end 22 years of hurt in Cardiff.

With that poor record in the Welsh capital hanging over them, the fly-half praised the side for finding that composure in the final 10 minutes to see out the game.

“I’ve been in games like that with Scotland that we’ve lost. That was the most pleasing thing, that we found a way to win with the crowd on our backs,” he added.

“It shows how far we’ve come, to be able to fight and win those games. It is a bit of a monkey off our backs. We’ve got France next, but there’s a lot to work on, which is a positive place to be.

“It shows what the atmosphere and crowd here can do, but we got back to how we can play and we managed to dig it out in the end.”

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