This was Glasgow Warriors' big opening European statement - written by irresistible No 9 and teammates

Never mind Storm Darragh, Glasgow Warriors began their quest to win the Investec Champions Cup like a whirlwind. They blew Sale Sharks away at Scotstoun, winning 38-19 in their opening match in Pool 4.

George Horne notched a first-half hat-trick, taking him to 50 tries for the club and only DTH van der Merwe has scored more for the Warriors in the pro era. The scrum-half was also sin-binned and kicked three conversions during a busy opening 40.

On this form, he is simply irresistible and it’s strange to think he began the autumn as Scotland’s fourth choice No 9. Horne was overlooked for the opening Test against Fiji and admitted last week it had been “a kick up the backside”. He ended the international window back in favour and has taken his form into Europe where Glasgow are many people’s dark horses.

“It was pretty eventful and I tried to get a bit of everything in there,” Horne said of his first-half performance which earned him the player of the match award. “In that first half we knew we needed to take advantage of the wind and we did that well. I’m just chuffed with the win.”

Glasgow Warriors' George Horne powers through to score his first try of the night against Sale Sharks. | SNS Group

Stiffer tests lie ahead but this was a powerful statement from Franco’s Smith’s side who outscored their English opponents by six tries to three, with Kyle Rowe, Huw Jones and Scott Cummings also scoring. They travel to France to play Toulon next weekend then complete their group phase with games against Racing 92 and Harlequins in January. A winning start wasn't essential but it should go a long way to earning them qualification for the last 16 and, potentially, a home tie.

Having won the United Rugby Championship so impressively last season, everyone is now aware of what Glasgow can do - but that doesn’t mean they know how to stop them and Sale just couldn’t live with them.

Horne led the charge but he was ably supported by the excellent Sebastian Cancelliere, Matt Fagerson and Rory Darge. They looked fitter, more energetic and more imaginative than the English visitors who hung in bravely but never looked like stopping their hosts.

Glasgow's players and coaches have spoken repeatedly this season about making an impact in Europe and their appetite for the fray was obvious from the first minute. They charged down an Arron Reed clearance kick and pinned Sale back in their own 22, building phase upon phase. The visitors couldn’t deal with it and when Matt Fagerson broke a tackle the chance was on. He offloaded to Jones, who supplied the supporting Horne who ran in a great score before celebrating with the Warriors supporters behind the posts. The game was only two-and-a-half minutes old but Glasgow’s intent was clear and Horne’s conversion made it 7-0.

Horne put in a tremendous shift in front of the home crowd. | SNS Group

His second try was even better. Gregor Hiddleston was the provider after a lineout maul and the finish from the scrum-half was brilliantly improvised. Horne was tight on the right touchline when he received the ball but his kick ahead was perfect and so was the finish.

Glasgow’s domination was absolute and they were 19-0 ahead by the end of the first quarter. Horne had a hand in the third try too, hoisting a contestable kick which saw Cancelliere beat Sale full-back Joe Carpenter in the air. Warriors moved the ball wide quickly and Rowe finished expertly, despite have to stop and check back when receiving the pass.

Horne converted but his next contribution was at the wrong end of the pitch. Sale had finally found some go-forward and the scrum-half was guilty of coming in at the wrong side of the maul as they pressured the Glasgow line. Andrea Piardi, the Italian referee, awarded a penalty try and showed Horne the yellow card.

You couldn’t take your eyes off the action and Glasgow notched the bonus-point try in the 24th minute, Jones finishing from Cancelliere’s looped pass after a great burst from Darge. With Horne in the sin-bin, Tom Jordan converted to make it 26-7.

Two Scotland wingers in Arron Reed and Kyle Rowe go head-to-head. | SNS Group

The Warriors were scoring at an average of a point a minute but Sale stayed in the fight. Bevan Rodd, their Dunoon-born prop, embarked on a bullocking run and the Sharks were able to make the most of their extra man as the ball was spun wide for Scotland winger Reed to score.

Reed was an unwitting contributor to Glasgow’s fifth first-half try when his kick was expertly fielded by the impressive Cancelliere who then uncorked a spinning kick to touch. The Warriors attacked from the lineout and Jamie Bhatti’s break set up Horne for his hat-trick.

It was always going to be difficult for the second half to live up to the first 40 minutes, particularly for Glasgow whose output was extraordinary. The game became a little stodgy and there was a brief scare for the home side when Sale scored their third try, Carpenter producing a powerful hand off as he burst through.

Glasgow’s response was immediate. Jordan kicked them into a dangerous position and from the lineout Johnny Matthews surged clear from the maul. The replacement hooker was stopped just short but Cummings was following up to crash over for the Warriors’ sixth try of the night.

Warriors' Jamie Bhatti with a goose step. | SNS Group

There was no more scoring but there was a late, late yellow card for Glasgow replacement Angus Fraser for making head contact with Sale’s Raffi Quirke.

Glasgow have never before been beyond the last eight of Europe's top-tier club competition. On this form, they could achieve that and more.