As he and Finn Russell seek to establish themselves as Scotland’s playmaking unit, Peter Horne is looking forward to a first opportunity to pit his skills against what he considers to be the best combination in the game.

That, at least, is the way it came across as Scotland’s inside centre 
for tomorrow’s Calcutta Cup match offered his comparative analysis.

Curiously both Scots are older than their opposite numbers, but Horne ‘s words could almost be interpreted as those of an apprentice aspiring to match the work of master craftsmen as he paid tribute to English pair Owen Farrell and George Ford.

“They are both really special players,” he said. “I think Farrell really helps Ford. Ford is obviously a really talented, special player, but Farrell outside him just makes him tick, takes a lot of the pressure off him.”

Such is his admiration of Saracens’ Farrell that he has incorporated some of his methods into his own training routines, saying: “In the past some of our coaches have spoken to Sarries’ coaches and been down to training with them and I have picked up little drills that Owen does after training to try and help my own game. He’s a really special player and I am really excited to have a crack at him.”

Horne’s tone was respectful rather than deferential, however, which seems to fit with the 28-year-old’s thoughtful view of his role which he sees as being to allow others, not least the mercurial Russell, shine.  

“I can bring others into the game and I guess my role in the team is to make others look good and I’m quite happy to work away and do just that,” he said.

“Hopefully I can create space around me that others can exploit. I have been running at 10 and 12 for the last couple of years so I know 
I can mix it up. 

“I like to think I help Finn out and take some of the pressure off him. 
A big role in my game is to try and organise outside of me and give Finn plenty of space in which to operate. We’re probably not at the same stage as Ford and Farrell but I think we have a really good relationship and I think we do work well together. He’s put me through plenty of holes and I’d like to think I take a lot of pressure off him.”

Key to their relationship, as with most in life, is communication and Horne believes that he is able to act as a conduit between Russell, who is very much a creature of instinct and the rest of the back line.

“Off the first phase we are always chatting. We try and get together as much as we can on the park because we all have a vital role to play,” said Horne.

“We collate the ideas and we try and run with them. A lot of the time with multi-phase it will be me who calls it but that is something I am comfortable with. 

“When you are playing at ten you have so much to worry about like forwards trying to get up and smash you. Sometimes you can’t look up and see what’s out there and you cannot underestimate the value of having someone out there calling it for you.”

Horne’s selection to start against France was, along with that of Greig Laidlaw, who was to earn the man-of-the-match award for his performance at half-back initially alongside Russell and subsequently replacing him later in the game, a vital component in improving Scotland’s effectiveness.

Whereas the team had, in Cardiff, looked rudderless with Ali Price and Russell both looking to do things flat out, while Huw Jones, in an unaccustomed position at inside centre, was far too inexperienced in the role to involve himself in the decision-making process, Laidlaw and Horne provided crucial checks and balances.

The bonus was that Jones was also released into the area that he has already done significant damage in the Test arena with his return to outside centre which may be all the more important given that his two tries at Twickenham last year offered what consolation was available to Scotland that day, just as Horne’s try as a late replacement against Wales three weeks ago spared the team from being shut out.

As ever the capacity of the backs to challenge their counterparts will depend heavily on the amount and quality of possession delivered to them, but if they can get any sort of supply of ball Horne believes that on what is, surprisingly, his first meeting with England, five years into his Test career and three years after his championship debut, he is surrounded by the weaponry to cause problems.

“Huw is on fire again which is great. I just chuck the ball to him and let him run about, it’s the same with Hoggy [Stuart Hogg],” he said.

“When you have such fantastic players alongside you just put them in space. They are both playing great as are Tommy [Seymour] and Sean [Maitland] so it makes my life easier.”