Had Handrè Pollard done his homework he might have known what was coming – for Finn Russell has previous with intercepts when attacking Twickenham’s south stand. It was playing that way that he picked off Owen Farrell’s pass before streaking clear in the madcap 38-38 draw between England and Scotland in 2019. And he was at it again on Saturday, coming up with the decisive moment in Bath’s dogged Premiership final victory over Leicester.
On this occasion he did not finish off the try himself – you suspect he probably could have – instead flinging a nonchalant pass inside to the onrushing Max Ojomoh. In a final short on champagne moments, it put the fizz in Bath’s performance, extending their lead to 20-7 before a second penalty of the match proved pivotal in ensuring the 29-year wait for a Premiership title was over.
Listen to him explain his decision to make the pass to Ojomoh – whose father, Steve, was part of the Bath side that last won the title, in 1996 – and you get a pretty good idea of how the coach, Johann van Graan, has been able to end that wait, three years after taking charge of a club that was full of high-quality individuals, less so an emphasis on the collective.
“He is a young player from Bath, who has only ever been at Bath, he is character and a brilliant player and I think for him scoring that in the final, I would like to think it is a big thing for him,” Russell said. “He said his dad never scored in the final so he has got one over him there, he just needs to get an England cap now.
“The first time I met [Johann], I chatted to him as a man. He said: ‘I know what you do on the pitch, I want to get to know you as a guy.’ That is what he is, he wants a team full of good men. Whatever team you go to, you want to win stuff obviously, and I think with the recruitment he had, players and coaches, there was a real excitement from me to have the opportunity to come here.”
When the final whistle blew after Russell had thumped the ball into the crowd, there were the customary scenes of jubilation but the overriding emotion soon seemed to morph towards a blend of satisfaction and relief. For Bath have long since been favourites for the Premiership title: they had a home semi-final sewn up in mid-May and, having lifted the Premiership Cup and European Challenge Cup, they were closing in on an historic treble. That brings expectation but, as Russell says, Bath have developed a winning knack this season.
Russell himself has been key to that, relishing the extra dose of pragmatism that he has developed in his two seasons at Bath. He is a different player to the one who won the Pro12 title with Glasgow in 2015 – his last league triumph – and has reaped the rewards. As such he joins up with the British & Irish Lions in Dublin on Monday – after revelling in extended celebrations and a bus parade on Sunday – with a spring in his step.
“When you get to these moments and it is a knockout game it is very different, it is a one-off game so looking forward to the Lions there are three Tests at the end of it, and they are effectively knockout games. You want to win the series, if you don’t, that’s life.
“It was a tough game [against Leicester] and we weren’t at our best but finding a way to win is really important. I am going to celebrate and enjoy this one. It is a special moment, this kind of stuff does not come around often. The last time I won a title like this was 10 years ago and I want to enjoy it, that is important as well.”
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Russell has had to wait almost as long for a Test start with the Lions. In 2017 he was part of the much-derided Geography Six, appearing for all of five minutes as a temporary replacement for Dan Biggar against the Hurricanes. Four years later Russell left everyone wondering what might have been, coming off the bench after 10 minutes in the final Test and helping the Lions finally spread their wings after two turgid matches against the Springboks. He has Fin Smith and Marcus Smith for competition this summer but the manner in which he has guided Bath to glory this season is evidence that Russell deserves his shot against Australia.
“When you get to the Lions it is another level of intensity, it is the best of the best from Britain and Ireland,” he said. “I am looking forward to the challenge, everyone is fighting for Test spots but it is not just getting in the Tests it is winning them as well. Every training session and every game you play before that counts.
“It is something that has been in the back of my mind since being named in the squad but you have got games to win at Bath, titles to win at Bath which we have gone on and done. The focus will go on to the Lions and how do I get myself ready for what is coming. When you get there it is the best of the best and you have got to be on it every day training wise and take your chance when it comes.”
