Scotland tour ‘massive opportunity’ despite one-sided games – Dobie

Jamie Dobie says Scotland’s Americas tour provides a “massive” opportunity despite the emphatic nature of both victories to date.

A callow Scottish team shellacked Canada 73-12 before a far stronger away side cruised past USA in trying conditions 42-7 on Friday.

With each of Scotland’s Six Nations rivals touring more accomplished rugby countries, questions have been asked about the value of the four-Test jaunt, which concludes with matches against Chile and Uruguay on successive Saturdays.

“The tour and matches we’ve got on are a great opportunity for the development of the group we’ve got,” said Dobie, 23. “So many boys are here for the first time or have minimal caps.

“The opportunity to come and be involved in as many Tests as possible is massive. The scorelines may have been more one-sided than people would have like but there is still plenty we could be doing better.

“I had two caps before this tour; the first was autumn 2021 and the second against Italy before the World Cup last year. I see this tour as an opportunity to be involved more regularly and show why I can be involved when we get back from this tour.”

Dobie won his third cap against Canada on the wing rather than his favoured scrum-half position and contributed three assists.

The Glasgow Warrior has routinely played in the back three for his club, particularly with coach Franco Smith favouring a bench with only two backs and six forwards.

“It’s only helping me as a player,” he added.

“Seeing opportunities from the wing is helping me as a nine to get our wingers into the game more. Defensively, the strenfgths of a good defensive winger are quite often the same as a nine’s.

“I definitely see scrum-half as where I want to be moving forward but there’s absolutely no harm being able to play – and the coaches having faith in me playing – on the wing.”