HORNE TIPPED TO BE NEW INCUMBENT AT No 10

GLASGOW WARRIORS head coach Dave Rennie challenged Pete Horne to prove he deserves to be the long-term successor to Finn Russell in the No 10 jersey at Scotstoun. The 28-year-old’s audition period for the playmaker role starts today when the Warriors take on Montpellier in the European Rugby Champions Cup Pool Three clash in the Altrad Stadium. With the Scottish side bottom of the group and with little chance of progressing to the knockout stage, many see this as a warmup for next week’s clash with Edinburgh. However, Rennie has thrown down the gauntlet to Scotland cap Horne — so often the Warriors utility man — to show what he can do before Russell, who is on the bench, moves to Racing 92 in the summer. ‘We were keen to give Pete Horne a crack at 10 in a big game,’ he said. ‘It’ll be a real pressure cooker against one of the best sides in Europe and a chance for us to see Pete running the ship in that sort of game. ‘We see him as a strong candidate (to be No 1 stand-off) next year when Finn has gone. ‘This is a great opportunity for Pete to make a statement. It will be a really good match-up between him and (Montpellier stand-off) Aaron Cruden.’ Fraser Brown’s recovery from a head knock is timely with fellow hooker George Turner serving a four-week ban — while Lee Jones, Alex Dunbar, Nick Grigg and Kiran McDonald also come into the starting XV. Pat MacArthur also returns from injury and is named amongst the replacements. Huw Jones and Callum Gibbins could be back to face Edinburgh Rugby next week. Rennie added: ‘We are keen to rip into this and we will have a pretty competitive side. It’s a great opportunity for the guys to make a bit of a statement in Montpellier.’