Jamie Dobie will be back where it all began when Glasgow Warriors play in Inverness.
The Scotstoun side have announced their first pre-season friendly will be at the Caledonian Stadium against Worcester Warriors on Friday September 2.
The fixture will be part of Highland Rugby Club’s centenary celebrations.
Scrum-half Dobie started his rugby career with the Canal Park club and is looking forward to returning to his home city later this year.
The 21-year-old said: “Being able to get back home and play in Inverness, it’s pretty special.
“Obviously that’s where I started my rugby with Highland when I was seven or eight, so to be able to come back here is great.
“I’m only 21, and I’m only at the start of my fourth season with Glasgow, but it’s a nice moment to be able to get back up home and play closer to family and friends that I’ve got up there.”
Spreading the game
Dobie believes it’s important Scotland’s two professional rugby teams Glasgow and Edinburgh try to connect with the rest of the country.
The Warriors also played a pre-season friendly in Perth in 2018.
Dobie hopes people in the Highlands will feel a connection with Glasgow after seeing them play in the Highland capital.
The Scotland international added: “To spread the game around the country is good and hopefully we’ll have some fans come along that wouldn’t necessarily get to a normal game at Scotstoun.
“It’s really exciting and even more so for me being from Inverness.
“It’s tough during the regular season to have games elsewhere – we have our home at Scotstoun.
“But one of the things we talk about is trying to inspire our community. That community isn’t just in Glasgow – we’ve got a wide fanbase.
“I know they played in Perth before and to be able to go to Inverness is definitely good for Glasgow and for Scottish rugby to be able to extend to places they wouldn’t normally get to.
“We want to get some new people along who wouldn’t normally get to games. It also means people feel more connected to the team and hopefully that attracts them to come down and watch us at Scotstoun more often.”
Appetite strong in the Highlands
Dobie believes rugby is on the rise in his home city.
Highland are competing in National League 1 after winning promotions in 2018 and 2019.
And the club’s Canal Park ground has been redeveloped in recent years with a new clubhouse built and a 3G pitch laid.
“If there was no appetite for it (rugby), I don’t think there would be this game up in Inverness,” Dobie said.
“What’s happened at Highland with the development of the new clubhouse and pitch at Canal Park has been amazing.
“They have these centenary celebrations, which will be great to be a part of with this game.
“Hopefully the crowd will show the appetite for the game with good numbers coming along.
“I think the appetite is growing and hopefully this can help grow that further.”
Inspirational impact
Dobie has childhood memories of going to the Caledonian Stadium to watch football.
Now he hopes future generations will be inspired by watching rugby at the venue.
Dobie said: “I’ve got a couple of early memories of going to watch the football and that would have been my first time going to a stadium.
“There wasn’t any chance to watch any rugby beyond Highland up in Inverness.
“Having the game there – I think if this was happening when I was younger it would have been great for everyone and attracted people to play some more rugby.
“It’s good that it’s happening this year, and hopefully people will bring their kids to inspire them.”
