Russell staying grounded after first Scotland cap

The 21-year-old made his debut for the Warriors in the RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Zebre in February 2013 but with Ruaridh Jackson and Duncan Weir ahead of him in the Glasgow pecking order, he was sent out on loan to Ayr.

But with Jackson and Weir on international duty with Scotland during the 2014 Six Nations, Russell was recalled and impressed Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend.

He started seven consecutive RaboDirect PRO12 games, including the play-off semi-final against Munster and final defeat to Leinster.

And his performances also caught the eye of new Scotland head coach Vern Cotter, who started him in the first Test against the USA.

"I have come a long way in a very short time," Russell said in an interview with the Daily Mail. "It is fantastic to end the season with a Scotland cap.

"Things going well at Glasgow over the last few months of the season obviously helped me get into the Scotland squad and, now I am here, I want to make the most of my opportunity.

"Coming in as a young guy meant I had to get up to speed quite quickly but it helped to know a lot of the guys from Glasgow who have helped me settle in.

"I'm quite relaxed before a game and when I'm in a match I try not to get wrapped up in the moment.

"Before big matches for me it is a case of killing the time, not counting it down and using up nervous energy.

"I just want to keep the game out of my mind and stay relaxed. I managed that against the USA and will adopt the same approach against Canada if selected."

Russell admits he was unsure about how the intensity of games would differ between the domestic and international level but he thinks his experiences in clashes against the RaboDirect PRO12's top sides stood him in good stead.

"I wasn't sure how different the pace between club and international rugby would be but to have big matches for Glasgow against top sides such as Munster and Leinster under my belt before I played for Scotland was invaluable," added Russell.

"International rugby is obviously a bit different but because of those high intensity matches against the Irish teams, the pace of the match against the USA came as no surprise to me, although the heat and humidity were tough to deal with."

Follow us on Facebook, join the conversation on Twitter, sign up to our YouTube channel for extensive match highlights and sign up for our newsletter for regular updates on the RaboDirect PRO12.