Finn Russell scraps with England star as full-time as emotions boil over

Sunday, 23 February 2025 at 08:11

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byRugby Rucker

England’s dramatic 16-15 win over Scotland ended in fireworks as Finn Russell and Jamie George were caught in a heated exchange following the final whistle.

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The Scotland fly-half, who had the chance to win the game with a last-gasp conversion, pushed his effort just wide—sparking raw emotions at Allianz Stadium.

Russell’s heartbreak boils over

Russell had already missed two shots at goal before stepping up for the crucial conversion after Duhan van der Merwe’s late try. With the match on the line, his kick drifted inches past the left upright, leaving Scotland stunned.

As England celebrated, Russell and George appeared to lock horns, with tensions spilling over in the immediate aftermath. The pair had to be separated before tempers cooled, and minutes later, they embraced—highlighting the fine line between fierce competition and mutual respect.

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Enemies on the pitch, friends off it 🤝 Great respect between Jamie George and Finn Russell at full-time 🙌 #GuinnessSixNations | #SCOvENG

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6:55 PM · Feb 24, 2024

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Scotland left frustrated but back their talisman

Despite the miss, Scotland refused to point fingers at their playmaker. Captain Rory Darge defended Russell, insisting: “Finn feels the same as all of us. There were loads of opportunities in the game aside from those kicks.”

Head coach Gregor Townsend echoed the sentiment: “Finn is an outstanding kicker and they were tough kicks.”

However, frustrations remained over Tommy Freeman’s controversial try, with replays suggesting the England wing may not have grounded the ball cleanly. Freeman shrugged off the complaints, saying: “The referee said I got it down. He must have seen it on the ground.”

Russell’s night may have ended in heartbreak, but his fiery exchange with George showed just how much this fixture means on both sides of the border.

Six players who flopped in the Six Nations today, one player 'cost his team'

Ireland bagged their 14th Triple Crown in style, keeping their hopes of a historic third consecutive Six Nations title alive with a nail-biting victory over Wales in Cardiff.

Meanwhile, England edged closer to the business end of the competition, but a missed 79th-minute conversion from Finn Russell saw Scotland’s Calcutta Cup winning streak come to a halt at Allianz Stadium.

But let’s turn the spotlight onto the five players who didn’t quite live up to expectations in today’s Six Nations action…

#1. Finn Russell (Scotland)

Planet Rugby 5/10: "Not a game the Scotland co-captain will remember fondly as his goal-kicking proved costly and in the end it was the difference between winning and losing for his side. As expected, he asked plenty of questions of England’s defence but his inability to convert any tries will haunt Scotland’s fans for some time."

RUCK 4/10: "Co-captain Russell’s kicking was the difference in a heartbreaking result for the Scots, failing to make any of his three conversions from wide areas. While he was reliable away from the tee and all three kicks were near the touchline, there’s no looking past his abysmal kicking in a gut-wrenching Scottish defeat which ends their championship hopes."

Telegraph 5/10: "Missed a tackle for a Lawrence break. No problem finding width, but then what? Missed (tough) conversions were killer. A step back for his Lions hopes."

#2. Garry Ringrose (Ireland)

RUCK 3/10: "Gave away a cheap penalty and a consequential yellow card when Ireland were on the back foot towards the end of the first half which not only gave Wales an easy three points but a bunker review upgrade to a red card took Ringrose out of the game really before he even got into it."

Rugby Pass 4/10: "Back in the starting side after coming off the pine against Scotland. Maybe could have scored but for a poor pass from Jamie Osborne and was yellow-carded minutes later for a clumsy challenge that was upgraded to a 20-minute red."

JOE 5/10: "Was good while he was in the pitch but his red card was costly."

BALLS.ie: "Did little in attack but stuck all six of his tackles. Unfortunately, one of them was too high on Thomas and he copped a 20-minute red card."

Planet. Rugby 3/10: "A bad day for the centre, who was red carded for a head-on-head collision with Ben Thomas and will probably sit out the rest of the Six Nations as a result."

#3. Marcus Smith (England)

Mail Online 5.5/10: "Repeatedly tested and troubled by Scottish high kicks then sliced a clearance before fast break nearly set up a try. Kept probing from deep."

Express 5/10: "Run over by Van der Merwe for Scots’ second and butchered one try"

Telegraph 6/10: "Something for both the lovers and the haters. Acted as a speed bump for Van der Merwe and sliced one kick out of play bu

#4. Thomas Clarkson (Ireland)

RUCK 4/10: "Ireland’s scrum was their Achilles heel in the first half and gave Wales some easy ways out of Irish pressure. Clarkson wasn’t the sole issue however he didn’t exactly aid their cause WillGriff John often getting the better of his opposite number."

BALLS.ie 5/10: "Scrum had a tough start but he won the penalty that made it 10-0."

Rugby Pass 4/10: "The scrum was a disaster zone, with Clarkson struggling against the experienced Nicky Smith [he did better against Gareth Thomas]. A real baptism of fire for the rookie tighthead. It’ll stand to him."

JOE 5/10: "Ireland’s shocking performance at scrum time was the key to Wales’ lead at half-time,"

Planet Rugby 5/10: "A first Test start and he endured a difficult day at the office. Was part of a front-row that was regularly penalised."

#5. Alex Mitchell (England)

Mail Online 5/10: "The sight of him sending an endless stream of box kicks skywards began to irritate the crowd and the first boos rang out soon after half-time."

Rugby Pass 5/10: "Slow and ponderous at times, which meant England had very little momentum in the first half. His box-kicking was not effective enough to help England work their way out of their half, as it took him a while to find his range. Injected a bit more tempo in the second 40, but it was not his finest afternoon. Failed to win over the Twickenham crowd."

#6. Ollie Sleightholme (England)

Mail Online 5/10: "Culpable when Scotland scored first try; with loose kick and missed tackle. Had a few more erratic moments as the hosts were stretched out wide."

Express 5/10: "Struggled defending against high ball and replaced very early in second half"

Telegraph 5/10: "A willing but limited chaser of high balls. Barely involved in an attacking sense and replaced early in the second half."

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Since its origins as the Home Nations Championship in 1883, the Six Nations has grown into one of the most iconic tournaments in rugby, filled with legendary moments, unforgettable upsets, and record-breaking performances.

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