‘It is a massive confidence booster,’ says Quan Horn about being backed at flyhalf

The Springbok management showed a lot of confidence in utility back Quan Horn’s flyhalf abilities when they let him play the entire second half of their 42-28 Nations Championship win over Scotland in the position at Loftus on Saturday.

Horn is usually an out-and-out fullback, and played every minute of the Lions’ most recent United Rugby Championship campaign at 15.

But just under a month ago Horn was thrown into the deep end when Bok coach Rassie Erasmus named him as the starting flyhalf for their season opening non-Test against the Barbarians in Gqeberha, and he played there for 53 minutes.

Ahead of the past weekend’s game against Scotland, Horn was named on the bench and when quizzed in the build-up Erasmus admitted that he was set to cover flyhalf and fullback in the match, which he did, emerging at the start of the second half for double World Cup winner Handré Pollard.

But in a surprising twist, after wing Ethan Hooker was forced off due to concussion protocols a few minutes later, instead of Horn switching to 15 with Pollard coming back on, the Boks left him at 10, with Damian Willemse moving to 15, Aphelele Fassi to 11 and Pollard to 12.

It showed terrific faith in Horn’s ability to lead the line from flyhalf and he will now take tremendous confidence from that into the rest of the international season.

Great experience

“It was a great experience. We chatted in the week about what positions I needed to cover and I was ready for the call. So I am just grateful for the opportunity to play for the Springboks,” said Horn after the match.

“Playing 15 at the Lions I am also very involved in the game (coming into first receiver), so there is not a big difference (to playing 10 for the Springboks), just the calling system is a bit different.

“There are plans in the week that are made for if players get injured or something happens and we have to move around. So I was prepared to cover what I needed to. But it was a massive confidence booster for me as a player to be backed and given this role.”

Horn was initially playing inside Willemse, who is an experienced player himself, but soon had the incredibly experienced and calm head of Pollard outside him, and that undoubtedly helped him settle and produce a very solid showing.

“Hats off to Handré, he made me feel very comfortable. He made everything so easy, he set the tone for me in the first half and then I could just step up and do my thing,” said Horn.

“He gives you a lot of confidence on the field and he’s that kind of player, smart and diligent, so whenever someone steps on the field with him he brings that calmness to the game. We chatted (before the game) about what options there were and I could just thrive from there.”