Dundee High face tough trip trying to break duck

Dundee High Rugby have made a recent habit of turning their season around in the spring, but some momentum for the winter is needed as they head north this weekend.

High have lost all eight games in their National League One campaign, only one of those by a really drastic margin, but the rest by enough that they only have one losing bonus point thus far.

A huge player turnover and a tough injury run has meant that up to 50 players have featured for the first XV this season, and that in a squad depleted in the summer, by some aiming for the semi-professional Super6 competition Dundee failed to be part of.

The club believe they have the best coach north of the Forth in Colin Sangster, and enough young talent coming through to prosper. But they have to be slightly envious of their hosts this weekend, the Highland club which has thrived in recent seasons coming all the way up from Caledonia Division One to one step below the top tier and currently third with six wins out of eight.

If anything, the Inverness club are a live example of what Dundee might aspire to; a successful junior section has slowly built into a strong senior team and they’re pretty much the hub of a large catchment area.

In National Two Kirkcaldy lock horns once again with old friends Hamilton Bulls, whom they have had difficulty escaping in recent seasons.

The clubs met in the National Cup only a couple of weeks ago with the Bulls winning handsomely at home, but the Blues pulled off a notable win at Peebles last week, and as a result went third in the division in their hosts’ place, Hamilton losing at Glasgow Accies to drop down to fourth.

National Three provides a real test for Howe of Fife’s revival, as they host league leaders Greenock Wanderers at Duffus Park. Wanderers

went top last week with a win over Carrick while Ardrossan lost at Lasswade to drop to second, Berwick moving into third as Howe’s meeting with Strathmore was postponed by the rain.

Only six points cover the top five sides in this hugely competitive division and Howe, coming off seven wins in a row, look like they could be the form team.

Strathmore are at Murrayfield Wanderers, who are six points clear of them in the table, while Perthshire, also victims of the weather last week, are home to West of Scotland.

Caledonia Division One is led by Orkney with four wins from four and they face the as yet winless Alloa in what will double up as an SRU Shield fixture originally scheduled for next week.

Dunfermline have three wins from three and lie second but a tough assignment at Grangemouth in third, whose sole defeat so far was away to the fourth-placed side Glenrothes. Glens are at Ellon seeking to leapfrog whoever loses in the Stags-dunfie match.

In Division Two Midlands leaders Madras, and their 100% record so far, have a second successive Saturday free of competition, leaving Carnoustie a chance to move up if they can win at Falkirk.

In Division Three first plays second with Grangemouth IIS hosting Dunfermline IIS.