Duncan Weir was “hugely proud” of Peter Horne for the way he backed up Finn Russell against France but is determined to prove Vern Cotter is right to prefer him for the final RBS 6 Nations game in Dublin.
The Glasgow Warrior will win his 23rd cap in the key playmaking role against Ireland after being recalled despite Horne’s seamless performance for 75 minutes as a replacement for Russell, who was concussed by “friendly fire” team-mate John Barclay’s boot inside the first five minutes of the 29-18 win over the French.
At a push Russell could have been ready for the Aviva Stadium but in the current climate no risks are being taken with concussion as the 23-year-old has been unable to train under the return -to-play protocols.
Instead Weir, dropped from the bench after Cardiff but having played twice for the Warriors since performing well in both gets the call and Horne returns to cover the bench.
Weir said he wasn’t concerned from a personal point of view with how well his Glasgow team-mate played on Sunday.
“I was just hugely proud of Horney’s performance,” he said. “A guy who has not played the whole tournament at ten steps up and shows how natural a ball player he is.
“I enjoyed see him run the attack. Being a playmaker at twelve he is always chatting and orchestrating play anyway.
“It is tough on him not being selected this week but clearly it is an opportunity for me. It is a huge honour getting back into the side and one I am looking forward to.
“I have been here training so I know the calls and the structures they have in place so it is not being thrown in to the deep end as I have been in camp throughout the championship.”
Weir has led Glasgow to wins over Munster and Cardiff in the PRO12 in recent weeks, scoring one solo 40-yard sprint through the defence against the Irish side which hinted at how his game has developed away from being typecast as “the kicking option” at 10.
“In my younger days I might have been trying to link a little more than that, if you have dangerous runners outside you, you want to bring them into the game,” he said.
“But what you try to do is read what’s in front of you, and I saw a soft defence on that occasion and went for it. It’s all about reading the game, the body shapes in front of you.”
Scotland made two more changes, one enforced as Tim Swinson replaces the injured Jonny Gray, and Ryan Wilson returns at No 8 for Josh Strauss.