“Diving like Messi and all” – Watch hilarious Finn Russell slip v France

The Scotland No 10 and captain was caught off guard

Finn Russell is one of rugby’s greatest entertainers. The Scotsman performs with flair and carries himself with composure in a sport that regularly drifts into chaos and frenzy.

He is also not afraid to ruffle feathers and seemed to unsettle the armchair warriors when he jokingly dubbed himself ‘the Messi of rugby’ in the Six Nations: Full Contact Netflix docuseries.

Read more: Rugby is so desperate to be uncontroversial it’s put itself in a straitjacket – and looks more bonkers than ever

And all of the above made his mishap during France’s latest visit to Murrayfield all the funnier.

Early in the second half, with Scotland leading 13-10, the magnetic fly-half took a tumble over an advertising board while following a French kick out of play with a view to taking a quick line-out.

Watch Finn Russell slip v France

There is no way to style out a moment like that, especially in front of close to 70,000 fans and with the eyes of the world watching, so all Russell could do was smile as he surfaced from the Murrayfield turf.

It also inspired one X user to draw another parallel to Lionel Messi, saying: “Finn Russell diving like Messi and all.”

Related: Reaction to Netflix’s Six Nations:Full Contact

While it was all smiles at that point of the game for Russell and the Scots, agony would follow as the controversial late decision not to award a try for the hosts meant France left Edinburgh with a much-needed 20-16 victory.

In a championship that promised so much for Gregor Townsend’s side, that defeat, and the manner in which it unfolded, would have been a crushing blow.

If this is to be Scotland’s year, they will need Russell to perform like Messi for the remaining three matches, and even that might not be enough.

Did you have a laugh at the Finn Russell slip? Let us know on social media or email rugbyworldletters@futurenet.com

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