Russell holds key for Scotland to torpedo Ireland's Grand Slam ambition

Talismanic fly-half’s air of maturity suggests it could be his time to halt Andy Farrell's men and torpedo green Grand Slam ambitions

ORCHESTRATOR: Scotland's Finn Russell

IN a not unfamiliar plotline Scotland enter the penultimate round of the Six Nations desperate for a win. Refreshingly, this time such a result would mean not the avoidance of a wooden spoon but a tilt at their first championship of the century – a first Six Nations title, full stop.

Perhaps desperate is the wrong word then. Would-be champions are never desperate for anything. If Scotland want to convince as such, they will be using bold words, such as “confident” and “ambitious”, and they must play accordingly at Murrayfield on Sunday afternoon.