WE’RE FINN GOOD NICK
RUGBY SIX NATIONS LATEST
BY DAVID KELSO CONFIDENT Pete Horne insisted it won’t be the end of the world if his mate Finn Russell is ruled out of Scotland’s crucial Six Nations clash with France. It was still touch and go last night whether Russell will be cleared to play in Paris on Saturday in the wake of a head knock. But his ex-Glasgow club mate Horne is adamant it will be business as usual during the build-up. Utility back Horne said: “We’ve all been in the game long enough now that you know situations like these are part and parcel of rugby. “As much as you’ll be disappointed to see a guy get injured, it always creates an opportunity for someone else to fill the void. “If you get caught up and hung up on it, there isn’t any point – you can’t go back in a time machine and change it. “So you just have to get your head around it and prepare as well as you can to win at the weekend.” Russell joined the rest of the squad at yesterday’s training session in Edinburgh but took no part. Horne said: “He was in good spirits and I’m pretty sure he’ll be alright. “If it was all doom and gloom in the group when an injury happens what does that say to the other players? “If he doesn’t make it the next man comes in and he’s expected to do a job. “How many times have we seen the situation where somebody is sidelined and you think, ‘Oh no’ but two minutes later the new guy has won the game?
“That’s how the next crop come through.
“We saw that again in the Ireland game when Blair (Kinghorn) came on for Stuart Hogg and was awesome.
“Before that, in the Australia game in November, we were all gutted when Hoggy went down in the warm-up.
“Sean Maitland came in and played brilliant at 15.
“It is what it is and the rest of us are determined to get it right and we’ll have the bit between our teeth.”
Horne admitted his wife fears for him every time he sets foot on the pitch.
He said: “Kirsten hates the fact there are so many injuries.
“But if you worry about that you would never go on to the field. It is the last thing on your mind.
“It’s a physical game and it is never nice to see injuries happen.
“But that’s the way it is and I don’t know what they could do to change it.
“Everyone is hitting harder, running harder – all looking to be more physical.
“The last time we went to Paris we lost three men before