Watson ready to home in on Scots No.7 role

HAMISH Watson knows the upcoming Autumn Tests are a chance for the Scotland team to show supporters how quickly they are improving under head coach Gregor Townsend.

And the openside also sees the matches against Samoa, New Zealand and Australia at Murrayfield as the perfect opportunity for him to make the No.7 jersey his own.

With John Hardie suspended, Edinburgh Rugby’s Watson is likely to start against Samoa in six days time – and he feels the squad in general is in a good place despite a raft of injuries.

“Obviously we worked with Gregor for the first time on the summer tour and we all enjoyed that experience and now it is great to have some home matches to show people where we are at,” Watson, 26, below, said. “Former head coach Vern Cotter and Gregor both like to play a sort of expansive, attacking game of rugby so it’s similar to what we were used to previously, but Gregor’s putting his own stamp on it which is good. “We had good wins against Italy and Australia in the summer followed by a disappointing loss to Fiji and that is definitely something we want to put right. “Fiji in Fiji is always going to be a tough game, but we addressed the loss in the camp we had back in August and now I don’t think it will be mentioned again. “This week in camp we have been just trying to refresh our minds having been back with our clubs for a couple of months now.

“The summer tour is in the past and we might keep a few of the moves, but it’s all new stuff for the autumn and it is about moving forward for these three big challenges.”

Watson missed out on the World Cup in 2015, but since then has been a regular in the squad and has 12 caps to his name to date.

Many touted him for a Lions spot in the summer such was his rise in a short space of time – and he is keen to kick on now.

“I’m a bit more confident now as I have a few more starts under my belt, but it is always about the next game and if I’m lucky enough to be involved against Samoa it will still be a nerve-wracking experience,” he said.

“We go into these matches knowing that, if we play to the level we know we can play to, then we can beat these teams.

“You must have that belief.”