Scotland co-captain Finn Russell admits his team need to improve their mentality going into next year's Six Nations after a frustrating 2024 campaign. 

The fly-half was proud of Scotland as they lost out in Dublin despite a strong performance, losing by a scoreline of 17-13. 

There was chances to win the game but they couldn't quite do it while Russell was frustrated by how they gifted Ireland the opening try with a poor lineout. 

George Turner's lineout was too long and Dan Sheehan fell over the line after catching it and Russell reckons that it summed up the entire campaign. They struggled to put an 80 minute showing in and had good halves of rugby in each of their matches then terrible ones too. 

Russell wants to see an improvement next year and reckons it's the mental side of the game holding them back.

READ MORE: Ireland 17-13 Scotland: Spirited showing not enough in Dublin

He told STV: “We were really good in phases again. We gifted them that try in the first half when we over throw the lineout which sums up this campaign for us.

“As good as that game was, we need to get a lot better mentally for next year’s campaign because we can’t continue to be up and down throughout a competition. That’s every game and week after week so as good as it was, it’s still a frustrating campaign for us. We’ll get better for it but it’s tough.”

Ireland lifted their second Six Nations in a row and their fifth in the last 10 years and Russell insists they are the best in the world and the team everyone has to aim for. 

He added: “Ireland are the team to beat. They’re the best in the world and to come here to Aviva when they have the title on the line, it’s a tough place. The boys stood up and put in a great performance today.

"It’s one we need to be proud of but Ireland are a classy outfit. They gave away three or four penalties away throughout the game and probably got three or four at our scrum let alone anywhere else on the pitch.

“They are so well aligned and the continuity is there. A lot of boys come from Leinster so they play week in week out. It just flows so seamlessly.

"They’re a tough team to beat here at home but that’s rugby and if we want to get to where we want to get to we have to play like we did tonight in every game.”