Six Nations
Russell to miss Italy clash after ban is upheld
ESPN Staff
February 25, 2015
Finn Russell was banned after a challenge on Wales' Dan Biggar © Getty Images
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Scotland failed in their attempt to overthrow Finn Russell's suspension for Saturday's Six Nations clash with Italy.

A Six Nations appeal committee upheld Russell's two-week ban imposed following his collision with Dan Biggar during the 26-23 defeat to Wales on February 15, which initially earned him a yellow card.

The 22-year-old fly-half, who addressed the panel in London, will be free to face England on March 14 but head coach Vern Cotter will need to find a new number 10 to play against the Italians at Murrayfield.

But full-back Stuart Hogg has admitted he hopes it will not be him.

When asked where he would be playing, Hogg said: "Hopefully 15. If need be I will step into 10 but we have a few boys I'd imagine are ahead of me to play there.

"It would be a massive blow to lose Finn but we have Greig Tonks and Peter Horne who are more than capable of stepping in. They have looked good over the last couple of weeks in training. But whatever is best for the team is what is best for me."

Like Russell, Hogg knows all about being punished for an incident with Biggar following his first-half red card for a shoulder charge on the Welsh stand-off in Cardiff last year, a major factor in his team's crushing 51-3 defeat.

And Hogg is desperate to enjoy Saturday's occasion by securing Scotland's opening Six Nations win after a troubled few months last year which saw him left out of Glasgow's squad for the Pro12 final.

"I'm loving being back in a Scotland jersey," Hogg said. "We have got the freedom to play and I'm really enjoying my rugby at the moment. But we'd love a win and we believe we have the structures to go on and do that.

"I let a lot of people down in that Wales game last year and then after that, not being involved in the Pro12 final was possibly the worst thing that has ever happened to me.

"It was the biggest game that Glasgow have had for a long, long time and I wasn't involved. I was bitterly disappointed. For me, that is a place I never want to go back to. So now, everything for me is about staying positive.

"Even though we been beaten twice over the last couple of weeks, I've always got a smile on my face. I'm enjoying everything.

"The frustration comes out every now and then but I've got to keep it under wraps the best I can. Now I feel I am a lot better than I was last year - mentally and the way I was playing on the pitch.

"A lot of that is down to the people I work with off the field. Everything has to be positive. I'm all about positive outcomes. Hopefully we will get one this weekend."

Hogg knows that keeping discipline is crucial given the concession of penalties against France cost them in their first game.

"We have got to look at ourselves individually and collectively," he said. "Our discipline has to be a lot better. We need to be squeaky clean.

"Every game for us is massive. This weekend is about getting back on the horse and trying to get back to winning ways.

"We've put in two cracking performances and creating a lot of chances - but we're just not finishing them off. Hopefully against Italy it will be a different case and we can get over the line.

"I think a win would really pick us back up. We came up just short last week against Wales but the performance is there. A couple of tweaks here and there and hopefully we will get across the line."

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