The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Prepared Scots ready for Irish test in opener
Townsend’s team have shaken off their jet lag and acclimatised at week-long camp
Former Howe of Fife star Peter Horne insists Scotland will not be losing sleep ahead of their World Cup opener with Ireland.
The Scots have stepped up their preparations for facing Joe Schmidt’s men on Sunday after switching base to Tokyo.
Their week-long camp in the sweltering southern port city of Nagasaki allowed Gregor Townsend’s team to shake off their jet lag and acclimatise to Japanese conditions.
Thankfully for Glasgow centre Horne, the temperatures have dropped from last week’s stifling 33 degree high on the East China Sea coast.
A thunderstorm was predicted to lash down over the International Stadium this weekend although forecasters now say the chance of rain has lessened.
But whatever happens in the heavens, Horne is so content with the planning put in by Townsend’s backroom staff that he is certain he will not be left awake all night worrying.
He said: “I’m feeling alright after getting over the jet lag. I think my little girl prepped me for a lack of sleep.
“It’s not often you get two weeks to build up and focus on a specific game, so we’ve done a lot of preparation, and we’ve still got sessions on Friday and Saturday as well.
“Most of the graft has been done – it’s a case of dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s now.
“It’s so nice that the game is now just around the corner. Everyone has been so pumped about this game for ages, the coaches, the players. Everyone’s really excited about it, it’s not long til the shackles come off.
“We’ve had so much time to look at everything and cover all bases. I find now that the night before a game you often sleep your best because you’ve done all your work so you can go off to bed knowing there’s not much to worry about, you can just get up in the morning and do your thing.
“We’ve got that for the rest of the week.”
Ireland will be without British and Irish Lion Robbie Henshaw this weekend after he suffered a hamstring injury.
The Leinster centre’s place is likely to go to Garry Ringrose and Horne admits that will not make the midfield an easier place to operate.
“Henshaw’s a great player, he’s such a good defender but has good go-forward too,” he said. “But it’s tough because they lose one and then Ringrose comes in and he’s awesome.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Ringrose. He’s such a good attacker and he’s also a really smart defender.
“It maybe changes the dynamic a little but because Henshaw and Bundee Aki are both really powerful whereas Ringrose is great on that outside break and as great feet coming back, he’s quite often involved in tricks plays.”