Finn Russell 'frustrated, disappointed & devastated' but believes Scotland can bounce back with Six Nations glory if they become 'ruthless'

Finn Russell says he can understand the frustration at Scotland’s Autumn Test series performances - but is still backing his side to win the Six Nations.

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has come under considerable pressure following the manner of the defeat to Argentina - and for the questioning if Scottish fans were too ‘entitled’.

In an exclusive interview with Scotland Rugby News, Russell didn’t address the coach’s future, nor Townsend’s comments, but did relay his own disappointment about how the series had gone.

‘Frustration and definitely disappointment,’ said Russell of the defeats to the All Blacks and Argentina. ‘I have never been in a changing room as quiet and devastated as I was after that Argentina game.

‘Look, there’s also a lot of good there, but unravelling at the end of games is not what we can allow to happen going forward.

‘Against New Zealand, we put in a great performance, but in the end, we lost. As much as people said how good a game it was and how good the performance was, it’s a defeat.

‘In Test match rugby, it is only the result that matters. Then, against Argentina, after being so far and comfortably ahead, to lose that one was gutting.

‘As a playing group, staff, coaches, everyone involved, we need to look at what happened in that last 25 minutes or so and how we move on from here.

‘We have to learn when we are in such a dominant position to keep our foot down and be ruthless.

‘We have to ask ourselves what we want to achieve as players and what we want to be as a team?

‘What’s our DNA, almost, what do we want to be known as? That is all part of getting the mental side of the game right. At the very least, we have to hold our own standards. We didn’t hold to our own standards against Argentina.

‘We know that and we’ve had tough, honest conversations about how we’re going to move forward as a team and what we can change and how we can get better.

‘In the last few games, we haven’t been as good as we could be in the last 20 minutes, so we need to change that. That’s something we’ll address ahead of the next Six Nations, when we take on the top teams in the world again.

‘In the next Six Nations, when we get to these last 20 minutes, and it’s a draw or we are ahead, we have to kick on and get that ruthless edge back.

‘For that to happen, we need to keep our standards high, and our mindset correct and be constantly demanding more from each other. The players, the coaches, and everyone must be pushing each other in the right direction to grow the team.

‘Sometimes it can be hard to call out your team-mate if there’s a mistake, as you don’t want to be having a go at them, but sometimes we have to point things out to try and get improvement.

Russell also held up his hand over the intercepted pass that sparked the Argentina comeback from 21-0 down.

‘I addressed that moment in front of the team and said it had to be better from me,’ said Russell. ‘Players were owning up to mistakes they made or things they could have done better in that game, and we hold each other accountable.

‘I made a decent pass that set up Jack Dempsey for a try in the first half when it was on to go for the try, but that second-half pass that was intercepted was very disappointing for me. We all have our own standards, and that was well below my personal standards, which is annoying.’

Of what comes next, he pointed to the recent success of the Scotland’s men football team and golfer Bob MacIntyre as inspiration.

‘I want to do well with Scotland in the Six Nations. My dream is to win something with Scotland. Whether I do or not, I’m not sure, but that is definitely the dream. I don’t know how many more Six Nations and World Cups I’ve got left in me, but we will see.

‘There is a buzz after the football (World Cup qualification) just now, which wasn’t there when I was growing up.

‘Bob MacIntyre is doing amazing at golf, and he’s up to seventh in the world. Many good things are happening in Scottish sport. So for us, we need to make sure we get our job done right, hopefully continue where the boys are in other sports in doing well, and give Scotland something to cheer about in the next Six Nations.

‘The goal is to win it obviously, but we certainly have to improve on our results from last year and start well in our opening game against Italy and gather momentum from there.’