GEORGE HORNE has been named Glasgow Warriors Player of the Season for the second time in three years, after coming out on top in a supporters’ poll.
In the absence of their annual awards dinner, Warriors have been announcing their prize-winners all this week via social media, with the climax being this award which was announced yesterday afternoon. It is the second award the scrum-half has picked up this week, after his score against Zebre in February was named Try of the Season.
Horne also won the award in 2017-18, and the fact that Ali Price was the winner in 2018-19, while youngster Jamie Dobie has been named Young Player of the Season this year, illustrating just how well stocked the club is at scrum-half at the moment.
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Since returning to club duty after Scotland’s World Cup campaign – during which he snatched a hat-trick in the team’s 61-0 pool match victory over Russia – the 25-year-old has made 13 appearances in all competitions for Warriors, scoring eight tries in total. His scoring exploits in the PRO14 this season were particularly impressive with seven tries in as many games before the lockdown brought everything to a shuddering halt.
It is still to be decided whether the league campaign will play to a conclusion when the Covid-19 restrictions are eventually relaxed. A PRO14 Board meeting is scheduled for next week and is likely to shed more light on how they plan to make that happen.
It is understood that the ideal target date for return is late August, with local derbies behind closed doors likely to be the first matches, which could mean a series of Edinburgh versus Glasgow Warriors clashes at Murrayfield, before hopefully a play-off final to decide an ultimate winner of the competition.
Recognition in the pro game did not come easily to Horne. Despite 12 appearances over two seasons for the Scotland Under-20s team, concerns about his size were a big factor in it taking the Fifer until he was just a few weeks shy of his 22nd birthday before he picked up his first full-time contract with Glasgow Warriors.
Before that he had spells playing for Currie Chieftains and Glasgow Hawks in the Scottish Premiership, and for London Scottish in the second-tier English Championship, whilst transitioning from stand-off to scrum-half.
However, when he did get his chance, he grabbed it with both hands, with a series of scintillating performances for Warriors during the 2017-18 season, with 10 tries in 17 games, earning him a call-up to Gregor Townsend’s Scotland squad for the summer tour to the Americas at the end of that season.
His international debut did not go to plan with Scotland slumping to a humiliating 29-30 defeat to the USA, but he bounced back in fine style with two tries in a scintillating 15-44 victory over Argentina seven days later.
Meanwhile, at club level, he has now scored 30 tries in 55 matches for Warriors.
Full list of Glasgow Warriors 2019-20 Awards winners –
- McCrea Financial Services Player of the Season: George Horne
- Denholm Oilfield Services Players’ Player of the Season: Zander Fagerson
- Land Rover Young Player of the Season: Jamie Dobie
- Mackenzie Construction Most Improved Player of the Season: Tom Gordon
- The Famous Grouse Coaches Award: Rob Harley
- Harper Macleod Test Player of the Season: Scott Cummings
- Al Kellock Leadership Award, sponsored by Malcolm Group: Ryan Wilson
- SP Energy Networks Community Club of the Season: Biggar RFC
- Glasgow Warriors Try of the Season, sponsored by University of Strathclyde: George Horne v Zebre
Great player, and consistent yet struggles to get a starting berth internationally. Big fan of George and his abilities. Another bizarre situation on selection from the Townsend camp.
Player of the year twice in 3 years and really only warrants a bench seat the majority of the time. 13 played in two years and 3 starts. 6 tries and 32 points. Not a bad return.
What is Townsend not seeing from him?
Good points well made. It’s his 7’s turn of speed and coming on when perhaps the opposition are a bit tardy that makes him such an impact on the International scene, perhaps Townsend is a Horses for Courses selector.
He is an exciting player and obviously has a keen rugby mind, just as his brother odes. Look at his age, though? He should be in a Scotland shirt, almost every time. He is the brand of rugby that Townsend wanted. To me he doesn’t seem as risky as Townsend played a player, either. He does the percentages. Get him in!
Surprised nobody has posted a note of congratulation before I got back online, however, well deserved and has looked the business since I first saw him on the 7s circuit.
Well done and not the last recognition of his talent I am sure.