Finn Russell believes Scotland have now developed the mindset required to compete for this year’s Guinness Six Nations title. The Scots have gone into recent championships with high hopes but despite several eye-catching results, they have lacked the consistency to finish in the top two since they won the last Five Nations in 1999.

Finn Russell says Scotland must be braced for the best Italy side he has faced when they kick-off their Six Nations campaign at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Finn Russell and Scotland plot a ‘different’ answer to the same old Six Nations question - Exclusive interview: Even the fly-half himself admits that he has not won enough silverware – so could this be Scotland’s year for Six Nations success?

Saturday, 1 February Time: 14:15 GMT Coverage: Watch live on BBC One, listen on Radio 5 live, Radio Scotland & BBC Sounds and follow live on the BBC Sport website and app. Finn Russell is one of rugby union's biggest stars.

Ben White will continue his partnership with Russell in the half-backs with Townsend picking a lethal back-three in the form of wingers Darcy Graham, Duhan van der Merwe and full-

Bath fly-half Finn Russell has been tipped to take the Six Nations by storm and lead the charge for the British & Irish Lions against Australia later this year.

Kick-off time, TV channel, live stream, team news, lineups, h2h, odds - Scots reeling from Sione Tuipulotu injury blow ahead of Azzurri’s visit to Murrayfield

Fergus Burke learning from Finn Russell as he eyes succeeding him at fly-half - Burke was last week called up to Gregor Townsend’s squad for the first time for the upcoming Guinness Six Nations.

Finn Russell takes the question in his stride like ... We’ve had a great group of players with Scotland for the last six, seven, eight years, but we’ve never quite managed to get over the ...

Bayliss limped off late in the first half with what Bath head of rugby Johan van Graan labelled a “serious” groin injury. Townsend has already lost captain Sione Tuipulotu and lock Scott Cummings to injury, while there are slight concerns over Duhan van der Merwe’s fitness due to an ankle issue.

Scotland's Stafford McDowall will earn a ninth cap at inside centre in place of injured captain Sione Tuipulotu in an otherwise experienced backline to face Italy in their Six Nations opener at Murrayfield on Saturday.