Scotland need some magic from a reformed Finn Russell if Gregor Townsend's men are to upset the odds just by making it out of a devilishly difficult World Cup pool.
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Just getting there is the immediate target for Townsend after falling at the pool stage four years ago to hosts Japan and Ireland."We just need to focus on delivering our game and go after the opposition." Townsend's hand was forced in the end by injuries for last November's internationals and a recalled Russell shone in a narrow defeat to New Zealand and a 52-29 thrashing of Argentina.
Townsend's actions suggest he agrees as Russell was made captain for the 25-21 World Cup warm-up win over France. Hogg, who won 100 caps for his country and is Scotland's all-time top try-scorer, quit in September, saying his body was"not able to do the things I wanted and needed it to do".
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