GIVE ME THE KEYS AND I’LL START IT UP
Horne would love chance to shine at 10
PETER HORnE is ready and willing to answer the call. There are no real doubts about his ability. Everything else? Just detail.
Whether he is handed Finn Russell’s no10 jersey or asked to make a late sidestep into the 12 slot, Horne is guaranteed to play a key part in Paris. He can hardly wait.
As Gregor Townsend roots around among the back-ups to the back-ups in search of solutions to a very targeted injury crisis, Horne — in line to win his 40th cap on Saturday — offers much more than just a reassuring presence.
More dependable than young Adam Hastings, boasting greater flair and speed than Duncan Weir, he hasn’t yet been given any kind of nod by head coach Townsend.
But, asked how he would feel about filling in for Russell if the stand-off fails to recover from a head knock, Horne declared: ‘Yeah, I would look forward to it.
‘It would be a good, exciting challenge. I played pretty much 75 per cent of the time against France a couple of years ago and I played all right (for Glasgow) last Saturday, so I am in a good spot.
‘If I get handed the keys, I will give it my best go. Everybody round me will help me get ready. And, if it is Adam, I will help him and we will see how it goes. I have played primarily at 12 this year but I played the last five or six, actually, for Glasgow at 10.
‘In one way, it is not ideal for his preparation. You would almost rather hope that, at the start of the week, it was looking doubtful — rather than last thing on a Friday and myself or Adam, whoever fills his (Russell’s) shoes, hasn’t done as much training.
‘In one way, we can look on it as a positive. Adam can get a bit more reps in this week to make sure we are ready to go and, if Finn has to pull out at the end of the week, then we are in a good spot to go.
‘It (selection) is a tough one. Adam played in the autumn against Wales and Argentina, as well. He has played a bit more at 10 at international level recently.
‘Gregor pulled us both aside and was honest. He just said he had not made a decision yet and for us both to get as much reps as we can — and we will make a call later in the week.’
The loss of Stuart Hogg, Huw Jones — even allowing for his loss of form — and now potentially Russell certainly feels like a series of sucker punches for Scotland.
Among the players still able to walk through drills yesterday, however, sympathy for the crocked crew — those removed from the squad as well as the semi-fit still hoping for a miracle — can’t be allowed to dominate the mood.
‘If it was all doom and gloom, what does that say to everyone around you?,’ asked Horne. ‘The next man up comes in, he’s expected to do a job.
‘How many times have we seen it, where somebody is injured and you think: “Oh, Christ…” but two minutes later the new guy has won the game?
‘That’s how the next crop come through. We saw that again at the weekend (for Edinburgh), Blair Kinghorn was awesome again.
‘In the Australia game (autumn 2017), we were all gutted when Hoggy went down in the warm-up.
‘Then Sean Maitland came in and played brilliant at 15.
‘It is what it is. We’re gutted to be without a couple of world-class players.
‘But the rest of us are determined to get it right and we’ll have the bit between our teeth.
‘We’ve all been in the game long enough now that you know it’s part and parcel of rugby.
‘As much as you’ll be disappointed to see someone get injured, it 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 best you can to win at the weekend.’
Horne’s individual case is helped by the fact that Townsend likes his inside centre to share some traits with his fly-half; he certainly doesn’t have a tendency to play some wrecking ball in the 12 jersey.
‘I would be out of a job if he wasn’t like that,’ admitted the
29-year-old, with a laugh. ‘It is the way the game is going I guess.
‘The most successful teams nowadays have someone in the middle who can facilitate play and get the ball to the wide men.
‘At 12, it is quite fun getting caught up in a bit of the puggy and the rough and tumble.
‘When you are at 10, you have to be a bit cooler, a bit more composed. My game is suited to play either.’
If there’s one place a bruised and battered Scotland wouldn’t want to be heading for round three of the Six Nations, it’s Paris.
In the corresponding fixture two years ago, the visitors lost three to injury before half-time of a brutal encounter.
‘I remember that,’ said Horne. ‘And I think Josh Strauss played the whole game with a punctured kidney or something.
‘Look, it will be tough going over there. We’ve had a bit of success against them at home recently — but they’re definitely a different beast over there.
‘Look at that first half against Wales, they showed what they were capable of.
‘That was one of the best halves any team has played in the tournament.
‘It was a wee bit sort of Jekyll and Hyde that game, they totally changed and were pretty poor in the second half.
‘But it’s never nice playing a team after they’ve just been hosed.
‘They’ll be looking for a reaction, everyone in the squad, every coach.
‘There will be a bit of pressure on them from the fans and I’m sure they’ll come out all guns blazing.
‘They’ve got some absolute monsters in that forward pack, they’ve got some big backs as well. So it will suit them if it’s a bit stodgy. But we’ll have to look after the ball. We can’t cough it up and give them opportunities.’