Ex-Springboks head coach Nick Mallett says that he would not select Finn Russell for the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.
The Scotland co-captain is viewed by many as the frontrunner to be the starting number ten for Andy Farrell against the Wallabies but if Mallett were picking the touring team, he would not even make the squad.
Nick Mallett’s Lions tens
Speaking on the Boks Office podcast, Mallet explained that he believes that if Russell is not the starting number 10 then he would be bad for the squad.
Adding that while he is capable of exciting moments, the Scottish playmaker makes too many errors to run the Lions attack.
“I don’t think I’d take Russell at 10 with the Lions,” the ex-Italy and Bok head coach boldly stated.
“I think he’d be bad for the squad if he is in the squad and not starting. I’d go with Owen Farrell, Fin Smith and Sam Prendergast.
“You know what you get from those three.”
Ex-Bok prop Hanyani Shimange interjected suggesting England and Harlequins star Marcus Smith as a utility option.
And Mallet agreed before continuing his point on Russell who makes too many errors for his liking.
“If you take him he’s got to start, he’s got to be your playmaker and unfortunately I think he makes too many mistakes at 10 for my liking,” he added.
“He just blows hot and cold and everyone’s very excited when he does a reverse pass out the back and all that but when it gets intercepted or goes directly into touch it’s just not good.”
Later in the show, Mallet, Shimange and legendary Springboks centre Jean de Villiers picked their Lions starting XV with the former head coach stating that Farrell would be his starting number ten in the Tests against the Wallabies.
Praise for Fin Smith
While Scotland’s fly-half would not get the nod in Mallett’s Lions squad, England’s number 10 would with the Northampton Saints star impressing in his first start for his country in the victory over France.
After his performance against Les Bleus, it looks as if the 22-year-old will retain the starting role for the remaining three rounds of the Six Nations.
If he performs in those matches, Mallett predicts that he will take one of the fly-half spots in the Lions squad and hailed his ability to get the best out of the players around him.
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“I’ll tell you the one guy who impressed me the most is Fin Smith, I think if he plays well over these next three games he could go on that Lions Tour because he has the ability to play others into space he doesn’t look for the side step and the goose step and all that sort of thing, he’s looking to try and create space for other people,” he said.
“He had a hand in the first try which was messy but the little crosskick and then the pass to Daly was perfectly timed and he’s a very good defender.
“If you watch the Bulls against Northampton, they defended so well that day and he took guys front on – the big ball carriers.”
Mallett’s praise for Smith echoed that of ex-Stormers coach and Springboks centre Robbie Fleck with Shimange stating: “Robbie Fleck said it a year ago, he said Fin Smith is a better fly-half than Marcus Smith and everyone’s like ‘Fleck you are crazy how could you say that’.”
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/ex-springboks-coach-believes-finn-russell-would-be-bad-for-the-british-irish-lions-and-would-take-england-stars-instead
