Horne happy to see pupil thriving

HAD Pete Horne been fit during the last three months then it is unlikely that Ross Thompson would have got his chance in the Glasgow Warriors No.10 jersey, which is kind of ironic given the role the 31-year-old has had on the 21-year-old playmaker’s development.

“When he came out of school, I coached him at Glasgow Hawks for a year, and I couldn’t believe how far ahead he was of where I would have been at his age,” recalls Horne, who is principally an inside-centre but also an accomplished stand-off if required. “He had such a polished kicking game, he had a really nice passing game, and he was pretty studious – anything you asked him to do, he’d go away and learn it and come back – so he was just a good all-round player.”

More recently, Horne has taken an active interest in supporting Thompson during his initial steps into the pro game. “He’s just been trying to work on bossing grown men around, just like any young guy in his position has to do,” the veteran midfielder explained. “Every week he’s getting more and more confidence, and he just looks the part out there. I’m so chuffed for him.”

Horne finally got a chance to take the field alongside Thompson against the Dragons last Sunday – albeit for two minutes as a replacement – having been out of action since midMarch. “I took a head knock against Exeter, which wasn’t ideal, and then there were just a couple of wee setbacks in training as well,” he explained. “It’s been a bleak couple of months, but it’s great to be back.”