FINN RUSSELL INSISTS Dan Carter’s imminent Racing 92 departure was not behind his decision to move to the Top 14 giants because he thought the New Zealand great would still be there next season.
It was announced last week that Scotland out-half Russell is to leave Glasgow Warriors at the end of the Pro14 campaign, with Racing revealing his signing on Tuesday.
The news comes after All Blacks legend Carter confirmed that he is leaving Paris at the end of 2017-18 to take up a new challenge in Japan, leaving Russell to compete with Pat Lambie for the number 10 jersey at Racing.
But Russell, who was part of the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand, says he would have made the move even if Carter was staying put.
“I did not really think of Dan’s departure, I thought maybe he would still be there, I would have learned a lot from him,” he told Racing’s official website.
Russell was a Pro12 winner with the Warriors in 2015, but he felt moving to Racing offered him more chance of success in Europe.
“I had the chance to play six seasons in Glasgow but for me, for my progress, I felt it was time to change the environment,” he added.
“Like any rugby player my goal is to win, I want to win titles with Racing. It is a club determined to play as many finals as possible and win and who are likely to do it.
“It’s really my main goal, and Racing has all the potential to get the Champions Cup or Top 14.
“I can’t wait to help them win. It’s a great club, I’m looking forward to settling down and playing with my new team-mates as well as working with the coaches and all the staff.”
While Russell is departing the Warriors, one man staying at Scotstoun is scrum-half Ali Price.
The Scotland international penned a new deal until May 2020 on Wednesday.
“It was an incredibly easy decision for me to make. I’ve been up here for four years now and I’m loving it and the club’s in a really good place,” he told the Warriors’ official website.
“Playing at Scotstoun is a feeling I can’t really explain. I love the buzz.”
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5th Province very unlikely, Connacht struugle to get the supporters need to be viable, a development side, splitting support from one of the established provinces isnt really viable or wanted by the other 4. A team in England or France is unlikely as the IRFU would have to pay millions to have players released for training camps, only realistic options is either a partnership with someone like Dragons/zebre where young players paid by IRFU can go for gametime and player release in agreed, but would the WRU/FIR be happy that Irish players are developing instead of their own? Most realistic is a partnership with the SRU to relaunch a 3rd Scottish side, Boarders or Caledonian Reds, young Irish players and some senior Scottish ones could make a competitive team. Has existing supporter base.
@Kingshu: I’d be sending those post-Academy young players struggling to get game time to the Southern Hemisphere to get game time on loan. Player release isn’t an issue & they need to experience different environments for skill & personal development. Effectively get them doing what Oli Jager has done in NZ but with the option to bring him back after 2 years
@Graham Ross: But how many SH teams would want them in any numbers, for NZ/SA sides they would say why we giving gametime to young Irish players and not young NZ players, that will stay if they are good? Why invest in something they will not get the end result off. Most SR sides would be similar, maybe they would take 2/3 in total, but thats not really going to make a big difference. MLR team may be an option, somewhere with big Irish population, but that isn’t playing with the big boys.