If he didn’t look at teh scoreboard, it was exactly how Jamie Dobie had pictured it. Taking the field at several of the world’s most iconic stadiums to play for Scotland in the Six Nations in front of capacity crowds.
Gregor Townsend’s team lost all three of the matches in which the Glasgow man featured last year – at home to Ireland and away to England and France – but the overall experience still more than lived up to the childhood dreams that Dobie nurtured while growing up near Inverness.
“I vividly remember coming to Murrayfield for Six Nations games when I was still at school,” says the now 24-year-old, who spent several years at Edinburgh’s Merchiston Castle on a tennis scholarship.
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Scotland’s Jamie Dobie competes in the air with Ireland’s James Lowe during a Guinness Six nations match between Scotland and Ireland at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, on February 09, 2025, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images)
“The one that most sticks in my mind was 2017 and beating Ireland with wee Greeg (Greig laidlaw) kicking that last-minute penalty. I always try to take a moment to appreciate being out there now, because I know just how cool and special it is.
“Last year was my first involvement in the Six Nations and the size of the occasions, the intensity of the matches, really was something else. As much as, if not more than, what you expect. It was pretty cool to experience both Twickenham and Stade de France for the first time, with the size of the crowds they have and especially the atmosphere in Paris and the whole spectacle they put on. It was unbelievable to be out on that pitch and to run out into those stadiums with those atmospheres as well. I’ve done it a few times at Murrayfield now, but that still never gets old.
“It was tough and challenging to be a part of the three losses. As a squad, in terms of setting high standards for ourselves, we don’t wont to be losing three matches in a campaign. Its really exciting to have the chance in this Six Nations to put our best foot forward to get some better results.”
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Can dobie make the difference in
Jamie Dobie runs in a try during the Autumn Nations Series international rugby union match between Scotland and USA at Murrayfield in Edinburgh on November 1, 2025. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP via Getty Images)
Scrum-half or wing?
Dobie only found out he was starting against Argentina late-morning on game day when Ben White had to pull out due to a sickness bug. The Toulon man has been Townsend’s go-to starting nine over the last three years, but a recent lack of opportunity at club level, plus Dobie’s rise and rise, may prompt a fresh appraisal ahead of a Six nations campaign which the scots begin in Rome on 7 February.
George Horne is also in the mix, but it felt notable that Townsend left him unstripped even as the roof came in on Scotland in that Pumas debacle. Horne has long battled against the perception of him as an ideal impact replacement at Test level, but even that remit is now under serious threat when you consider how dobie’s positional flexibility plays into a six-two split.
On both sides of the white line, the Highlander is confident and assured, eloquent and engaging, and his response to what happened against Felipe Contepomi’s side paints a picture of a level-headed thinker; someone who does not shy away from the enormous shortcomings but who sees no reason why they must define this team.
“As a squad, and personally, that one did really hurt. It’s one that you’d love to have back, especially that last half an hour when we were in such a strong commanding position.
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“Just to lose the momentum and then not be able to wrestle it back at all and continue to make mistakes and give them footholds into the game… They just dominated that last 25. The strength of their squad as well now and the players that they’ve got, they were able to capitalise massively. I think that will be a disappointment in terms of where we still need to get to as a team. But I also think it’s vital not to sit in it (the pain) for too long.
“It’s important to use the learnings and use the hurt from that to fuel yourself. But it’s not one that comes into Six Nations matches. You don’t want to be thinking about it before you run out.”
That round-one visit to the Olimpico will be enough of an assault on the senses, and if any ghosts of capitulations past do drift through the away dressing room pre-match, they are likely to relate to what happened on that same Roman stage two years ago, when the Scots let slip not one but two big leads to gift Italy a first home Six Nations win s
scottish Rugby Player Reflects on Pivotal New Zealand Experience
Glasgow Warriors flanker, Tom Dobie, credits a stint playing for a New Zealand provincial team with significantly boosting his confidence and growth. The opportunity arose through both the Scottish national setup and his club, Glasgow, encouraging him to consider the long-term benefits of playing abroad.
Dobie described his time in New Zealand as a crucial building block, not just for his rugby, but for his personal growth.He lived in Mount Maunganui, calling it “unbelievably special” and ”as picturesque a spot as you can get.” Despite a season-ending injury limiting him to four matches in the NPC, he valued the chance to learn from different coaches and players.
“It brought my confidence on as much as my game, which was a massive part,” dobie said.He added that gaining game time in New Zealand was especially beneficial, as opportunities weren’t always plentiful at Glasgow.
Currently in his penultimate year of a business degree at the University of Strathclyde, Dobie balances his rugby career with academic pursuits. He recently juggled preparing for a finance exam with the lead-up to a major match against Toulouse, demonstrating his commitment to building a strong future both on and off the pitch.
