SCOTLAND must learn from Glasgow’s ability to pull off narrow victories, according to Finn Russell.

And, after a season in which he experienced bitter disappointment with the national side in the RBS 6 Nations, but triumph with the Warriors in the PRO12, the stand-off is confident he can help make the difference at the Rugby World Cup.

“I learned a lot last season,” he said. “One game stands out against Ulster over there and they beat us. We played well, it was my first start since a shoulder injury, and I picked up a lot.

“As a young player getting 20-25 more games under my belt, I learned loads from every match I played. From a year ago to now at Glasgow we worked out a way to grind out wins sometimes. I’m looking for me and some of the other Glasgow boys to bring that into this Scotland team.”

It is now six weeks since Russell and his team-mates reported for the start of Scotland’s training camp, but at last a return to action is in sight. The first of four warm-up matches – against Ireland in Dublin – is now just a couple of weeks away, and Russell is itching to get back playing again.

“I’m looking forward to getting back into the games,” he said. “You can simulate games with contact and touch and 15 on 15, but none of that is like a game, is it? A game’s so different. You can prepare for a game, but you never know what’s going to happen.

“It has been tough, especially in France – there was a lot of mental strength needed over there – and the altitude was tough. But we’ve done all the hard stuff now. This is the last bit and we need to keep it going.

“So I’m looking forward to getting back in and seeing what the challenges are when you get back into the games. In the warm-ups we’re taking on three teams we were beaten by in the Six Nations, so I’m looking forward to seeing how much we’ve improved between the Six Nations and now.”

After Ireland, Scotland travel to Turin to play Italy, then welcome the Italians back to Murrayfield before ending their warm-up games with a meeting with France in Paris.

It would be understandable if all of the squad, after training so long without a match, wanted to be involved in all four games. But Russell knows that there could be a lot of changes during the quartet of games.

“Everybody would love to play in all four, but at the same time if you are going to go to the World Cup having played four matches the month before it, you would then have another four pool matches.

"That would be tough. It will all come down to the management of the players.”