It’s all in the game, especially the Lions game. Players can say things to an opponent on the pitch, or afterwards, in press conferences or in books, but if, for whatever reason, they become team-mates one day or in the case of Finn Russell and Johnny Sexton are thrust into a coach-player partnership, they can usually park any differences easily and swiftly.
Both parties have confirmed that they patched up any old wounds as soon as they met up on Lions registration day and, clearly, they are already enjoying their new working relationship.
“It was never a thing almost,” Russell told the media after being one of the nine Lions’ players who hosted a training session with 90 girls and boys from around Ireland at the Lions’ base in the UCD Bowl on Friday.
“When we came in, we had a laugh straight away and Andy [Farrell] kind of put it to bed so that was good. Not that it was ever going to be an issue, I don’t believe. We’re all here with the same goal, which is to win the series.
“I’ve only been here a few days but it’s been good working with Johnny. I’m happy to bounce questions off him and chat to him about what he’s seeing because with the numbers we’ve had he’s had to jump in sometimes.
“So, it’s been quite funny being on the same training side as him.”
For Russell, working with Sexton ought to be the precursor to a more productive Lions tour than his previous two experiences, when he was restricted to peripheral roles through no fault of his own.
On the 2017 tour to New Zealand, Russell was one of the so-called Geography Six, a name given to the half-dozen Scottish and Welsh players whom Warren Gatland added to the tour, when he made a brief cameo in the 31-all draw with the Hurricanes.
After two early tour games in the Covid-affected tour of 2021 to South Africa, a hamstring issue restricted him to just one more appearance, when having a transformative impact on the losing third Test as a first-half replacement.
“It was still amazing because it was my first time being called up to the Lions,” he said of his experience on the 2017 tour. “We weren’t there for the whole tour, obviously, but I think to have gone there and played was really cool for me.
“And then in 2021 it was special going the whole time, even though it was Covid. Obviously we couldn’t have family and friends or fans at the game, but it was still amazing in probably a different way.
“In terms of the boys, we probably got to know each other a little bit better because it was just us in the hotel and whatnot, but I think both experiences are different in good ways. So, I’m looking forward to what this one’s going to be like.”
The 31-year-old Scottish playmaker arrived in this Lions squad on the back of winning a treble with Bath, including their first Premiership title in 29 years when beating Leicester in the final last Saturday, and this week signed a new three-year contract keeping him at Bath until 2028.
“It was pretty easy in the end,” he said of the contract. “Me and my family are definitely settled in Bath and what we’ve done this year shows how exciting it is, this time for the club. Made some good signings for the next couple of years going forward as well.
“So, that was part of the reason why I came to Bath: with the hope to try and win something. Now we’ve done it, the job’s far from finished, so hoping to keep kicking on and keep getting better. and yeah, I’m loving my time here.”
As for bounding into the Lions camp as a Premiership champion, Russell countered: “There were 12 Leinster boys that won as well, so nah! It’s obviously nice coming in after having won, but you’re straight into the next job and you forget about your club and the season you’ve had.
“It’s getting back to work here and getting straight back into learning the calls and learning how to work with each other and how we’re going to play this campaign.”
By the sounds of it, Russell intends being true to himself and will be among kindred spirits.
“As a collective, we’ve set our own standards of what we want to do on this tour and how we want to be remembered. I think all the players and everyone have deserved their spot on this tour. I think it’s going out there and being themselves. I enjoy doing that.
“Don’t overthink it. All the work you’ve done your whole career to get to this spot, that’s what you’ve done to get here. So don’t change anything, just go out there and be yourself.”
Russell has had to adapt “slightly different structures”, adding that “the running lines are different and in terms of the calls, that takes a few sessions. I’d like to think that by Monday it will be out of the way.”
Scotland had much the best performance against Australia last November when beating Joe Schmidt’s team by 27-13 following their wins over England (42-37) and Wales (52-20), and a week before Ireland were hard-pressed to beat the Wallabies by 22-19.
But there were mitigating factors and, in any case, Russell is acutely aware the Wallabies who will host the Lions will be unrecognisable seven months on.
“They’ll be a lot of the same players but they’ll be a very different team. It’s once every 12 years that the Lions go to Australia. So, what that brings out in Australia, well in all of Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and all the nations, that’s something you almost can’t buy. You can’t train that.
“So, what they’re going to have in terms of the determination, the goal and everything that’s built up to this series, is something that when you play them in November or a summer it’s not quite the same. It’s not like this.”
