Finn Russell was replaced despite passing HIA, Townsend explain why

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Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has revealed that Finn Russell was withheld from returning to the field against Ireland, despite passing his Head Injury Assessment (HIA), due to concerning signs spotted on the sideline.

Greene King and settle in for the 2025 Six Nations!

Russell was involved in a brutal first-half collision with teammate Darcy Graham during Scotland's 32-18 Six Nations defeat at Murrayfield. While Graham was stretchered off and taken to hospital—where he has since been released—Russell initially cleared his HIA.

However, the Scotland coaching team opted against sending him back on after noticing signs that raised concerns once he returned to the touchline.

"He passed his HIA," Townsend explained. "It was more about the communication that Pete Horne and a couple of other guys on the sideline were having with him. We decided it wasn't right. He had passed his HIA, but there were a couple of things he wasn't remembering about plays.

"So we made the call not to put him back on."

While Townsend confirmed that Russell was "fine" after the match, the focus shifted to Graham's condition. The Scottish Rugby Union later confirmed that the 27-year-old had suffered a concussion but had been discharged from hospital. He will now follow the return-to-play protocols.

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Eight Players Who Flopped in the Six Nations This Weekend

The second round of the 2025 Six Nations saw Italy defeat Wales 22-15 in Rome, England edge France 26-25 at Twickenham, and Ireland secure a dominant 32-18 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield.

Despite the thrilling action, several players underperformed. Here's a summary of the eight who struggled, with quotes from the key publications.

1. Finn Russell (Scotland)

• Rugby Pass 4.5/10: “Lost a couple of high hanging kicks… Forced off after 21 minutes following a head collision.”
• RUCK 5/10: “Couldn’t get his nation ticking in the early stages.”
• The Scotsman: “Limited impact on the game early on as Ireland took control.”

Verdict: Russell was underwhelming, leaving Scotland on the back foot from the start.

2. Jonny Gray (Scotland)

• Rugby Pass 5/10: “Struggled to make an impact and was replaced early in the second half.”
• Planet Rugby 5/10: “A few good moments in the set-piece, but nothing substantial.”

Verdict: Gray was largely ineffective and couldn't contribute to Scotland's fightback.

3. Antoine Dupont (France)

• Rugby Pass 5/10: “Had a few sloppy passes and missed a try-scoring chance.”
• Mail Online 6/10: “Far from his best but still involved in setting up tries.”

Verdict: Dupont's usual brilliance was lacking, and he struggled with errors that disrupted France's rhythm.

4. Josh Adams (Wales)

• RUCK 3/10: “Butchered two try-scoring opportunities and got a yellow card.”
• Planet Rugby 4/10: “Missed two huge chances, lucky to escape a red card.”
• Wales Online 4/10: “Butchered two easy try-scoring chances and received a yellow card.”

Verdict: Adams' poor decision-making and missed opportunities overshadowed his performance.

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