Horne fully engaged in Autumn Tests

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - NOVEMBER 05: George Horne during a Scotland Rugby training session at Oriam, on November 05, 2024, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

The celebrations were richly deserved but for the 15 players who swiftly moved on to Scotland duty for the Skyscanner Americas tour, any extended revelling and recuperation were put on hold whilst national call-ups were answered.

George Horne, Warriors centurion and one-club scrum-half, was unsurprisingly in that group to continue a hectic year – and he had one more big performance to put in before the summer was out.

To the first of those successes, then, and the notion that he could possibly get bored with being a title winner: “Definitely not, in the next few years I think! It’s amazing, we play the game to try and win things and to be able to do that with Glasgow, the club I’ve been with for a long time, great group of boys and great staff, fanbase – to be able to do everyone proud was just something I’ll never forget,” he said.

Champion feeling: Warriors’ George Horne poses with the URC trophy after helping his side to their historic triumph, June 2024.

Was it tough to then go into a summer tour so soon after the title triumph? “It was a wee bit weird because we came off the high of winning the league, then going out and getting drunk for a few days, which was well deserved I think, and then it was the next weekend when we were flying off to Canada, so it was a bit of a whirlwind week but any chance to play for Scotland is amazing.

But of course, the chance to play for Scotland is something that players relish each and every time, as George continued: “Absolutely. Playing for Scotland is the biggest honour for us as young Scottish players, so having the chance to do that, all over the world, makes it even more cool. Visiting Canada, America, then places that you’d maybe not think you’d go to like Uruguay and Chile as well, playing in these different places with different cultures and experiencing all of that was amazing.”

The whirlwind wasn’t over for George upon returning from summer tour, with an extra special bit of down time: “I got back and pretty much immediately went on holiday with my girlfriend and we actually got engaged on holiday, so that was a really cool way to start the summer with her.

“We were out in Greece, a week of lying down on the beach, so it was really nice to relax after a hectic year. I proposed on the last night, so I had it bottled up all week trying to find the perfect spot and the perfect time, but we got there in the end!”

Quite the series of life-affirming moments for George over the past few months, then. On top of all of that, he has started thinking about how else he can help others outside of rugby, which is why an ambassadorial role with the charity Cancer Card was always going to appeal.

“They’re an amazing organisation,” he said. “It was Jen Hardie initially, the founder, an inspirational woman who got in touch with Stuart Dow (Player Development Manager) at Glasgow Warriors. He passed it on to me and asked if I’d like to get involved, and I was desperate to help in any way I could, and get involved with what is a charity doing a really good thing.

“In the first few months, we’ve had coaching sessions at Murrayfield and Scotstoun, had some local kids down for some rugby and to raise funds for the charity. It’s been thoroughly enjoyable and the people at Cancer Card are so approachable and friendly, and doing good things for the community.”

“The human side of working with them, building new relationships and especially with people who are affected by a not very pleasant disease. It’s been nice to get out there and take some time out of your day to help others.”

The next couple of weeks will see George potentially add to his 32 Scotland caps, as four teams make their way to Edinburgh for The Famous Grouse Nations Series. Once more, he will embrace whatever comes along the way: “You try to compartmentalise it, focus on doing your bit for Glasgow. We’ve got a lot of games in the first block before the Autumns so everyone is desperate to play well for Glasgow to put us in a good position in the league and then along with that put your hand up for the national team. You think about it a bit, but your focus is on doing your job for the club.

“With the strength in depth we’ve got across Scotland, in most positions, no-one is guaranteed their spot so you’ve got to be on your best form to get picked.”

“You get a chance to play against some teams that you wouldn’t normally, like Fiji and Portugal, as well as South Africa and Australia. Testing yourself against these countries is always a great challenge. The fans at Murrayfield, I mean we pretty much sell out every game regardless of the time of year. Any chance to play for Scotland, and especially at Murrayfield, they’re the best days of your career.”

Still only 28, and with a winner’s medal and new fiancé, Glasgow’s livewire scrum-half will be putting his best foot forward to make the most of further international opportunities, starting with The Famous Grouse Nations Series clash with Portugal.

Sights set: George will earn a 33rd Scotland cap, against Portugal this Saturday in The Famous Grouse Nations Series.