Scotland’s Finn Russell says second best will not be good enough against Ireland

Finn Russell has psyched himself for the likelihood that he will have to operate at the peak of his powers on Saturday night if Scotland are to get the result they need from their critical World Cup showdown with Ireland in Paris.

The talismanic stand-off carries the hopes of a nation on his shoulders going into this weekend’s qualification shootout against the world’s top-ranked side.

Gregor Townsend’s Scots require either a bonus-point victory or to deny their opponents a losing bonus if they are to emerge from Pool B and reach the quarter-finals.

For that to happen, Russell – widely deemed to have entered his prime over the past year – knows he will have to make his mark in the French capital on Saturday as he bids to upstage his veteran Irish counterpart Johnny Sexton.

Asked if he feels he is currently in the best form of his career, the 31-year-old said: “I’m going to have to be this weekend!

“I don’t know. I think I had a good couple of years, then a year where I was a bit off after the Lions tour in 2021, but I think I’ve come back from that now.

“Gregor thinks I’m coming into my peak as a 10. I think this is a good age to be at where I’m still young enough but I’ve got a lot of experience behind me, so that bodes well for a 10.

“I think I’m playing some decent rugby just now and I just need to make sure I’m ready for what comes at the weekend.

“I’m against Johnny Sexton, one of the best 10s in the world as well, so it’s going to be tough.”

Less than a year ago, Russell’s place at the World Cup appeared in jeopardy when he was left out of the initial squad for the autumn internationals amid tension with Townsend, before being recalled midway through the series in November to hugely impressive effect.

The coach and