RUGBY: Highland dare to dream of top prize as new season kicks off
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HIGHLAND Rugby Club carry the burning ambition of reaching the highest level in Scotland into what promises to be the most competitive league campaign in years.
That is head coach Dave Carson assertion ahead of Saturday’s National League 1 opener away to Dundee.
League restructuring has created a 10, rather than 12 team second tier in Scottish domestic rugby, with powerful border and central belt outfits likely to make it cut-throat from top to bottom.
Highland – back in training since July 4 – will tackle a demanding opening sequence of 15 matches in 15 weeks.
“It’s so competitive,” Carson admitted, while stressing his squad was in great shape and raring to go.
“In the past, there have always been two or three teams you knew would struggle. This year, who knows? We’re ambitious. We’ve been ambitious since we set off on this trail moving up the leagues. We want to play at the top level of Scottish rugby. That’s always going to be the dream. We’re not putting added pressure on the players, but we’ve improved every year and it is something we all want to try to achieve.”
The absence of autumn tests and the compressing of league fixtures to enable a February finish mean no rest weekends up to December.
“We’ve got 15 games on the trot and no breaks,” Carson stressed. “It is going to be a massive test of the boys’ fitness – a lot of collisions and a lot of rugby – but they’re in good shape. The physios will be busy!”
Highland held their division’s second best defensive record last year, with only champions Kelso conceding fewer points. A rise in attacking return by 10 or so per cent would be transformative.
“Put on those 10 to 15 extra bonus points and we’d not be far from the top of the league. It is just that consistency of performance,” the head coach said. “It is hard – we’re amateurs – and availability and injuries take a toll.
“Kelso only used 28 players last season, we were on 48. Up here you’re away for the whole day and it is a huge commitment.”
Inside centre Seamus Ross (25), off travelling around the world, is “a big loss” to Carson, but forwards Calum MacPherson and Ritchie Dinnes return from several years at university.
Highland beat Dundee home and away last season, but Carson added: “It’s a new season. Clubs nearer the central belt tend to have a lot of changes and can be an unknown quantity until after the first four or five games.”
