Highland and Inverness Craig Dunain in action as rugby season nears its climax
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Highland Rugby Club enter their final run of matches of the 2022/23 season this weekend when they travel to Aberdeen Grammar.
Only one match took place last weekend due to clashing with the final day of the men’s Six Nations, so it is a return to action for the Canal Park outfit.
Dave Carson’s side have just three games left before the end of the campaign, and a fifth-placed finish in National One looks most likely.
They sit 11 points behind Gala with a game in hand, and seven points clear of Biggar, so with time quickly running out for teams to move up or down the standings it would need a significant loss of form from someone in the top half of the table for any movement.
Grammar, meanwhile, sit second bottom and are all but mathematically relegated.
Defeat to Highland, in fact, would confirm their demotion from the second tier alongside Stewart’s Melville and what looks most likely to be one of Watsonian and Stirling County.
It is the third time this match has been on the calendar, initially being postponed due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II, and then being called off again in November when Grammar’s pitch was waterlogged.
Highland’s thirds are also due to go on the road this weekend in the top half of the Caledonia North Three.
For them it is a trip to Kinloss Eagles, with both sides yet to take to the pitch in the post-split part of the season.
Highland were deducted three points for failing to raise a team to face Garioch at the start of the month, while Kinloss’ trip to Deeside two weeks ago was frozen off.
Kinloss finished one place above Highland in the west league, so it could be something of a proving ground for the Inverness side in this second part of the season.
In the bottom half of the same division, Inverness Craig Dunain’s men will make the journey north to Caithness looking for a second win out of two.
Craig Dunain’s women will play their final National Shield match on Sunday against Howe of Fife after last weekend’s trip to Corstorphine 2nds did go ahead – with a depleted ICD side losing 63–26.
Highland Women are also in action, hosting Stornoway in their last National Bowl group fixture tomorrow.
