Finn Russell breaks his silence on referee following narrow England defeat
02/28/2025 12:36 PM
Finn Russell insists his last-minute missed conversion wasn't the reason Scotland fell to a heartbreaking 16-15 defeat against England in the Six Nations.
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The Scotland playmaker saw his kick drift just wide after Duhan van der Merwe's dramatic 79th-minute try had given Gregor Townsend's side the chance to snatch victory at the Allianz Stadium.
Despite outscoring England three tries to one, Scotland were left to rue missed chances—Russell included, as he failed to land any of his three conversion attempts.
“Tough one to take”
Speaking on the Kick Offs and Kick Ons podcast, Russell admitted the loss stung.
"We played well but didn't take our chances, and then I didn't kick it at the end," he said. "I felt bad because we'd won it four years in a row, and I hadn't lost to England since 2017.
"Overall, I think everyone was pleased with how we played. It was just a shame we lost."
Referee controversy?
Russell's late miss sparked debate after footage showed him initially placing the ball in the correct spot—before French referee Pierre Brousset moved him two metres closer to the touchline.
"My missus showed me that last night," Russell revealed. "I put it where the try was scored, and he told me to take it further out.
"I'll blame him for it then."
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QUIZ: Can You Name the England XV that Won the 2020 Six Nations?
England last won the Six Nations in 2020, in what was a crowning achievement during the Eddie Jones era. Coming off the back of the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final heartbreak, England bounced back to win their seventh Six Nations title since the competition’s Italian expansion in 2000.
England secured the trophy with a win in Rome, as they handed Italy a one-sided 34-5 bonus point defeat. We are challenging you to remember who started for England that day, as the match was played in front of an empty stadium during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
You have five minutes to provide your answers, good luck!
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