Finn Russell: Racing 92 will 'really suit' Scotland fly-half - Johnny Sexton

Finn Russell is believed to be earning £700,000 a year with Racing 92Image source, Getty Images
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Finn Russell is believed to be earning £700,000 a year with Racing 92

A Scotland player performing to such a level that one of the world's top clubs comes calling for his services - what's not to like?

Well plenty if you're the superstar's national coach, the club operates in the world's most physically demanding league and the player in question is arguably the single most important one you have.

Gregor Townsend made no secret of his feelings about Finn Russell's big-money move to Racing 92.

"The better thing for the national team is more people playing in Scotland," was the head coach's reaction in November to the Glasgow fly-half's switch, which made him the highest-paid Scottish player in history.

Townsend pointed to the Irish model for success - keep your top players at home, manage their playing-time wisely, help them peak for big club games and internationals and let the good times roll.

That policy favoured by Ireland coach Joe Schmidt was solidified in many ways by Johnny Sexton's experience in France.

Sexton made a similar big-money move to Racing in 2013, only to rejoin Leinster in 2015 after an unhappy two years in the French capital.

Top 14 clubs have no interest in keeping their stars fresh for internationals. Wealthy club owners expect to see their prized assets strutting their stuff on a weekly basis and Sexton wilted under an enormous workload.

Schmidt said the fly-half's spell in France had left a permanent negative impact on his "resilience" in terms of injuries.

Despite that, Sexton believes Russell can be a success in Paris.

"He's joining Racing at a different time in their story," Sexton told BBC Scotland.

"I joined at the start of this journey under the same coach [Laurent Labit] as he's working under now. It will be a very different experience for him I'm sure but I know the club is a great club.

"He's obviously a top quality player and the style of rugby they play there will really suit him. They don't play with too much structure and Finn obviously loves to play what he sees and throw the ball around."

Image source, Getty Images
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Russell and Sexton have played against each other at club and international level

Some Scottish fans are concerned, just over a year out from the World Cup in Japan, about just how much Russell will have left in the tank when the showpiece event comes around.

"It's always a worry when you don't have control of your players," Sexton explained.

"There are some other good fly-halves there at Racing. Unfortunately, Pat Lambie is injured so Finn will probably have to play more than he would have if he was fit.

"It's a tough league, a tough competition, but it's a great competition as well.

"You sort of battle through the season, there's some big games along the way, but it's all about trying to get to those knockout games and they're incredible games to be a part of. Full stadiums, 80,000 people there. They're what you aim to get to.

"At times it can be a slog, in the depths of winter when you're playing away and you might not have had a break for weeks on end."

Edinburgh are a team 'really going places'

Image source, SNS Group
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Johnny Sexton and the other Pro14 captains were at Celtic Park promoting the new campaign

Glasgow will need to fill the hole left by Russell if they are to mount a serious bid for Leinster's Pro14 crown, with South African Brandon Thomson, Adam Hastings - who made his Scotland debut this summer - and Pete Horne among those vying for the number 10 jersey.

Sexton is all too aware of Warriors' threat, but it is the progress of their rivals in the East that have caught the Ireland Grand Slam-winner's eye in recent times.

"Edinburgh were one of the teams in my mind with how much they've improved under Richard Cockerill," said Sexton, who has won 76 Ireland caps and a further six across two tours with the British and Irish Lions.

"They've made some good signings this year with Simon Hickey coming in. He's obviously a top-quality 10 and he'll add to them.

"They made it to the quarter-final last year and pushed Munster unbelievably hard in that so they're a team that's really going places. They're the type of team in our conference that we have to be ready for because they are top quality.

"We know all about Glasgow; we've had a big rivalry over the years. We were in their pool last year in Europe; we've had some tough battles with them."

Many of those battles with Glasgow involved a fly-half duel between Russell and Sexton. Two contrasting styles but two quality operators.

The Irish general will continue to bark orders, drive standards and pull strings at Leinster this season, where everybody dances to his tune.

He will surely be fascinated to see if the Scottish maverick can become the conductor of his own orchestra in the toughest league of all.

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