Pete Horne joins Scotland coaching team as ex-All Blacks assistant let go

Gregor Townsend has welcomed Pete Horne on to his Scotland coaching staff on a permanent basis, but Brad Mooar will play no further part in the national team set-up.

Horne will leave Glasgow Warriors, where he was part of Franco Smith’s backroom team, to become an assistant coach at international level after impressing while helping out on a part-time basis during the Six Nations and World Cup earlier this year.

The 34-year-old, who won 45 Scotland caps, will work alongside Townsend and fellow coaches Steve Tandy, John Dalziel and Pieter de Villiers as preparation begins for the 2024 Guinness Six Nations.

New Zealander Mooar, who came on board with Scotland at the same time as Horne in January this year, is no longer part of Townsend’s coaching staff after it was confirmed his temporary posting has ended.

“Pete is a very talented coach and has a great relationship with the players,” Townsend told Scottish Rugby. “He has also complemented the dynamic within the coaching group since joining us at the start of the year and brings valuable insight.

“I have been very impressed with his coaching style and the ideas he brings to the table. He has brought a lot of value this year working with us and for him to take on the role full-time will be of great benefit to the players. I look forward to working with him on the attack side of our game.

“I’d like to thank Brad for his help in the last year and we wish him well for the future.”

Horne, who specialises in the attack and contact area, is relishing the opportunity to continue assisting Townsend as the Scots bid to bounce back from their World Cup disappointment after suffering a pool-stage exit in France.

“Coaching the Scotland team in the last year has been a privilege and a massive opportunity for me to work on the biggest stage,” he said. “To have the chance to continue that in a full-time capacity is something I’m relishing.

“My time coaching with Ayrshire Bulls and Glasgow Warriors has helped me prepare for my experiences with the national team and I have taken a lot of learnings from the past year. Working with this talented group of players greatly motivates me as a coach, as does the potential of this squad.

“I can’t wait to meet up with the players and management in 2024 and make further progress.”

Horne, whose younger brother George still plays for Glasgow and Scotland, played for the national team at both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.