Horne is a flexible friend and vital force
HIS dependability is matched by his versatility. Indeed, Peter Horne might not grab the glory or the headlines in the same way as the likes of team-mate Stuart Hogg but he is very much becoming the man who makes the Glasgow Warriors’ dangerous back division tick.
The 28-year-old Scotland international is the man head coach Dave Rennie has turned to as he looks for experience to help guide his young half-back pairing of Adam Hastings, 21, and Horne’s 23-year-old brother, George.
With experienced duo Finn Russell and Henry Pyrgos having departed over the summer to Racing 92 and Edinburgh, respectively, Glasgow are putting their faith in youth and it paid dividends with an opening 27-26 victory over Connacht in the Pro14 last weekend.
Horne played at 12 that day and Rennie believes he has a vital role in his side, although that will sometimes mean being utilised in different positions and taking Hastings’ jersey when the situation demands.
‘It’s been quite common in New Zealand that our 12s like Horne play like 10s, in that they’ve got a good kicking game and are really good distributors and have good rugby brains,’ said Rennie. ‘Our 13s ends up being a man who can carry well and Nick Grigg is that man for us. He’s an aggressive ball carrier. He and Pete complement each other really well.
‘You still need to defend well in the position of 12 but Horne is pretty complete in that regard.
‘He has a really good skill set, massive work rate and is a really good talker. Whenever he’s played 12 outside of Finn Russell last season, Finn played really well.
‘I know Adam Hastings has really appreciated having Horne outside to help take the pressure off him and that will be the same against Munster.
‘I see Horne as a genuine 10-12, so he’ll play in both positions at times this season. Last week was his first game because we weren’t able to use him in the pre-season as he was away with Scotland.
‘He’ll play 12 again this week against Munster but you will find that in South Africa over the following fortnight, he’ll probably start one of those two games at 10. He is a vital player for us.’
Horne was outstanding in open play at the Sportsground last week, while also organising the back division when it was under pressure. He admits he is revelling in the extra responsibility handed to him by Rennie.
‘I have done a lot of work at 10 and 12 in pre-season and I don’t think I’ll be pigeonholed with one position this season,’ he said.
‘The World Cup is a long way off but it has not done me too much harm in the past being able to play in more than one position. I like the responsibility given to me and am looking forward to this season.
‘Adam has a lot going on and is capable of doing it all if he needs to but whoever is kicking the best with us takes the kicks.
‘The win over Connacht was the perfect start to our season because if we had won by 50 last week we would be thinking we were Dan the man, which we clearly aren’t.
‘We have had a good week’s training, the minds are sharp, we are up for the challenge and know what it takes to win games.
‘It certainly doesn’t take much to get up for a Munster game. It is Test-match intensity and they will be physical. We have to stand up and show what we’re all about. We maybe got a bit stick last season for being soft in the underbelly at times. We lost games we should have won and did not defend well.
‘We want to show real dogged defence this year and make sure we are coming out and putting something out on the field that the fans can get behind.’
As for playing alongside his brother George regularly, Horne added: ‘I am delighted George is flying and, hopefully, he can have a good year but there will be a lot more eyes on him this season. That is a challenge he has to rise up to and I am sure he will.
‘A lot of folk think he is a lot younger than he is and he has come up the hard way. He was called too small. He was at London Scottish and was on the bench a fair bit with Glasgow and it has not been easy. But he has kept working and got his reward.
‘He has had a good first year. It is time for him to show what he is made off and to show he was right to earn his Scotland caps.’