Returns of three players at Highland Rugby Club will give head coach Dave Carson selection headache ahead of National One match against Kelso
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Dave Carson is facing a selection headache as it looks likely that three players will return to the first team fold this weekend.
Final decisions on fitness and selection are still to be made, but it seems as though brothers Andrew and Craig Findlater will be back in the mix – the former for the first time this season – while Grant Jamieson has recovered from injury.
It will be important that Highland are as strong as possible for this weekend’s final home match for the first team in 2021 against Kelso.
Not only can Highland go above their opponents in the National One table with a victory, they are also looking to avenge a rare 40-point defeat down in the Borders back in September.
There are a couple of fitness doubts off the back of last weekend’s win down at Ayr for Carson to contend with, but he is hopeful they are not too serious.
“Scott Fraser has a muscle problem on top of his thigh, so he will see the physio this week,” Carson explained.
“Temoci Waqanibau Junior got clattered and had a wee bit of a back twinge, so he will be looked at as well. It’s nothing too serious.
“Andrew Findlater will be available for selection for the first time this season. Andrew has worked really hard on his rehab, and he has trained with us for the last three weeks now.
“Grant Jamieson, who damaged his ankle and knee way back before the Ayr game, he’s fit for selection as well, and Craig Findlater is too.
“We’ll have a headache to see who will play and who won’t, but the squad will be stronger still.”
A stronger first 15 means more talent dropping down to the second and third teams, both back in action this Saturday, which should only bode well for the club as a whole.
“Things might change during the week, we’ve seen that before, but at the moment we’re looking good,” Carson reasoned.
“The seconds haven’t played for a month now, but they are going down to Aberdeenshire to get going again after four weeks.
“They have been training really hard together, so some boys may drop down into the seconds but it will only strengthen them after their experience up in the 1s, so it’s looking good for both sides.”
