Jamie Dobie feels he has the perfect grounding to thrive for both club and country in 2022.
Scrum-half Dobie was recently rewarded for his promising displays for Glasgow Warriors when he was handed his full Scotland debut against Tonga in October.
The 20-year-old faces stiff competition in his position at club level, with Ali Price, George Horne and Sean Kennedy all vying for the position.
Dobie replaced British and Irish Lions cap Price after 59 minutes of the 60-14 win over Tonga at Murrayfield. Horne has also been regularly involved at international level.
In the early stages of his senior career, Dobie says he can only benefit from having such experience around him.
Dobie, who is from Lentran, said: “Getting that exposure and grounding with Scotland in a couple of campaigns has been great.
“I was fortunate to experience being at Twickenham and Paris, and seeing results like that just shows how special those moments are when you are in the team.
“All three of the scrum-halves I have spent time with at Scotland are here at Warriors too, so that continuity between club and country has been good.
“I can pick up, learn and speak to them all the time. We can bounce thoughts off each other.
“That, as well as being in the squad before, helped to ease the nerves a bit on my Scotland debut. It made me feel I had worked and deserved my time when it came.”
Healthy competition will force Dobie to bide his time
Dobie knows patience will be required in his pursuit of more action at club level, however, he aims to maximise the outings he gets in Danny Wilson’s side.
Warriors’ 1872 Cup double header against Edinburgh will be played this week, with both games to go ahead without spectators. Warriors host Edinburgh on Monday with the return match on Sunday.
Heineken Champions Cup matches against Exeter Chiefs and La Rochelle will follow in January.
Dobie is eager to be involved throughout an important period, adding: “It’s about making the most of opportunities when they come. With the group of scrum-halves we have got at the club, it’s great to have healthy competition.
“That means I’m not going to get the chance to play every game. But when those opportunities come, I need to try and have an influence on the game.
“It’s the same whether it’s 10, 20 or 30 minutes from the bench, or from the start.
“If I’m not playing, I just need to keep pushing the boys and learning from them during the week.
“I want to be involved in as many games as I can, and pushing for selection for the big games, such as the derbies against Edinburgh and the European matches.
“It’s a goal of mine to focus on that.”
Dobie driven by Murrayfield experience
Clocking up his first national team cap is a moment Dobie cherishes.
The experience makes him all the more determined to keep himself in Townsend’s thoughts for the Six Nations, which begin in February.
Dobie added: “It was a huge moment for me and my family, and everybody that has helped me.
“My mum, dad, brother and sister were all there, and I had extended family who travelled to be there.
“Your first cap for your country is massive. It felt like a while coming, with the summer tour being cancelled and being involved in squads before.
“I got that exposure without getting the chance on the field. But to actually get on the field in the Tonga game was awesome.
“With the crowds being back at Murrayfield, it was a really special moment. I was extremely proud.
“It just makes me hungrier to keep pushing in that squad and hopefully play in the games coming up.
“The Six Nations are not too far away, so there will be chances with Glasgow to keep pushing for that squad and hopefully get back in that jersey before not too long.”