Snubbed Scotland star uses 'kick up backside' to push on as dark horses for European glory

Warriors open their Champions Cup campaign at home to Sale Sharks next weekend, with many pundits tipping them as dark horses.

Last season’s campaign ended in frustration when they lost a narrow contest away to Harlequins in the last 16. Glasgow, though, bounced back from that setback to seal domestic supremacy, defeating the Stormers, Munster and then the Bulls to clinch the trophy, the latter two away from home.

Horne hopes that experience will bolster their European campaign that also includes a home tie against Racing 92 and away trips to Toulon and, once more, Harlequins.

The Scotland scrum-half said: “The European Cup is so special. We obviously want to win the league but to go far in Europe is a massive goal of the squad as well. We were disappointed after our loss to Harlequins so this year we want to go as far as we can.

“We were on the cusp of a massive away win that would have put us into a quarter-final in Europe. So it was a low point but also a huge turning point for the squad.

“It was the first time we knew we could compete with the best teams away from home. Then look at what happened at the end of the season. We had another couple of really disappointing defeats away to the Lions and the Bulls and then that kind of springboarded us into that playoff run.

“We don't want to lose at all but sometimes you've got to take the lessons and get better from it and I think we did that.”

Horne was surprisingly omitted from the Scotland team for the autumn games against Fiji and South Africa but used it as a spur.

He revealed: “I took it as a bit of a kick up the backside. I was proud of myself for the way I responded in training and just my general work ethic around the team. Thankfully I got a chance against Portugal and then Australia.”