Scotland's Finn Russell is determined not to look back on this year's Rugby World Cup with any regrets after suffering heartache four years ago.

Russell was part of the team that missed out on a semi-final place thanks to a late Australia penalty in England.

A search for consistency, not a sense of grievance, will fuel this campaign.

"I don't want to look back and think 'if only I had done that this or that differently there would have been a different outcome'," the fly-half said.

"I'm just going to make sure I'm in the best shape I can be and prepare as well as I can for the World Cup."

A controversial penalty award by referee Craig Joubert gave Bernard Foley the opportunity to kick Australia into a 35-34 winning lead in 2015.

Scotland will face Ireland, hosts Japan, Samoa and Russia in the group stages this time round and Russell insists memories of Twickenham will not haunt Gregor Townsend's side.

Now 26 and having joined Racing 92 in the French top flight after leaving Glasgow Warriors last year, Russell points out that he was only a couple of years into his career at the time.

"I am not going to be thinking of the last World Cup," he said. "It was an experience and I can use that to help myself and the team. I am not using that to fuel how we do.

"I've had four more years playing. I've still got aspects of my game I had then, but I've got more experience and you mature as a player."