Young half-back partners prove the future is bright for Warriors

0 Adam Hastings was in impressive form for Warriors against Southern Kings at Scotstoun last Friday night.

The pair are clearly suited to head coach Dave Rennie’s rugby philosophy, which dictates that players should have the freedom to take risks and express themselves, so long as they don’t lost sight of their responsibility to the whole team.

“If it is on anywhere on the pitch, Dave tells you to have a crack. My natural instinct is to do that but I know, if it goes wrong, you can be in a lot of trouble. In the professional game, if you cough it up that close to your line, you will cough up the points as well. So, you just have to pick your moments. We fortunately picked them quite well last weekend, so it was happy days,” said Hastings.

“We are not looking to play from our 22 all of the time, but, if it is on, we will do it. We are not scared to do it and have given the go-ahead to do it.”

Next up for Hastings, Horne and their Warriors teammates is a rather more daunting showdown against Leinster at Scotstoun tomorrow night. Both sides will be without the vast majority of their international contingent but have the strength in depth to produce a highoctane 80 minutes. Ithasthepotentialto be the biggest challenge the Warriors have faced yet in an undefeated league campaign so far. Leinster came out on top when the two sides met in the European Champions Cup a fortnight ago, but Hastings reckons his side are ready to bite back.

“They are a quality side and have proven it over a number of years, so it is definitely a step up in attack and defence.

“They are a big physical team and like to try to bully the opposition. They were successful in parts doing that against us two weeks ago, so we are expecting more of the same. But we want to right some wrongs this weekend,” said Hastings.

“As you saw on Friday, there is a group of young guys itching to be involved and you will see more of the same in the next few weeks.”

Having missed five weeks with a thigh gash, suffered whenheappearedasareplacement against Connacht in the opening game of this league campaign, Hastings is clearly intent on making up for lost time. With Horne at his side, it could be explosive.