TEENAGER Jamie Dobie will make his starting debut for Glasgow Warriors when they host Dragons in the Pro14 this evening.
The 18-year-old has come through the ranks in impressive style and has made half a dozen appearance from the bench so far this season. Head coach Dave Rennie has decided the young scrum-half is ready to make into his starting fifteen now and has every confidence he will cope with the pressure.
"We’ve been keen to give him a start for a while," said Rennie.
"He’s got a great skill set, he’s a tough little bugger, got good hands, he’s had the luxury of working a lot with our international 9s, including [Nick] Frisby and our two Scotland boys.
“He’s making really good shifts and it’s exciting. It’s a big day for him and his family.”
Rennie has made six changes to his side from last week's win over Zebre, with internationalist Huw Jones released from Scotland's Six Nations camp, Grant Stewart returning at hooker, Tim Swinson promoted from the bench, Ratu Tagive on the wing and Callum Gibbins in to captain the side.
Warriors were defeated by Dragons the last time they met so Rennie is well aware of the threat the Welsh pose. However, he knows that a win could give Warriors the boost they need to push for the play-offs.
"They’ve put in really good shifts from last year. They’ve certainly got a tougher edge about them: they’re very hard and effective about the breakdown. And they’ve got a strong team game: really good halves," he said.
"We know that if we can finish strongly, with a lot of games still to come against the teams ahead of us, you can turn things around quickly."
Co-captain Ryan Wilson signed a new contract with the club this week, which will keep him at Scotstoun until 2022. Rennie will be long gone by then, with the New Zealander becoming Wallabies coach this summer, but he know what a boost it is for Warriors to have secured Wilson's signature.
"He’s been playing his best footy for us since he got back from the World Cup," he said.
"He’s been really consistent, bringing a good level of physicality and he’s a passionate leader and very inspirational. He brings a lot of heart to our performances. It’s great news for the club he’s staying."
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