High class opposition yet again

First of all, it was Ayr in the cup, then Heriots and Watsonians in their first two Tennent’s National 1 league matches.

Now Dundee High Rugby make it four in a row against club sides from last season’s Premiership when Boroughmuir pitch up at Dalnacraig.

After losing the cup tie by the narrowest of margins, Dundee can take quite a lot from their two league encounters.

But they have been undone by final quarter lapses and will certainly be guarding against that with ’Muir as well as improving their ability to protect their own ball.

Last week the Meggetland outfit had Ayr scrambling for a while but let the visitors back in and ’Muir came out at the wrong end of a 22-16 scoreline. So far, they have a played two lost two league record.

This one could be close.

The euphoria of a whopping win over Newton Stewart in the cup has disappeared at Beveridge Park.

Kirkcaldy have been edged out by narrow scorelines in their opening league matches against Dumfries and Stewarts Melville, though they have collected three bonus points in the process.

This week’s visitors Whitecraigs opened with a high scoring draw against Preston Lodge but then shipped more than 80 points against Dumfries last week so the door is ajar for Kirkcaldy to record their first Tennent’s National 2 success of the season.

It is a long trek for Howe of Fife to take on Caithness in Tennent’s National 3.

But coming off their first league win against West of Scotland last week and given Caithness have lost their only home game to Ardrossan before having to cancel last week’s trip to Carrick, Howe will have a bit of bounce in their step.

The return of Stewart Lathangie to the Howe ranks as player/coach was always going to a boost the Duffus Park men and his two tries against West will have done nothing to alter that impression.

Their first league outing after being promoted did not go too well for Strathmore as they went down 27-17 at Lasswade.

However, they made up for that disappointment with a convincing 50-12 thumping of Hillhead Jordanhill at Inchmacobel last Saturday.

It will be a real test, though, when they travel to face league leaders Berwick this week, with the Scremerston outfit having taken maximum points from two games.

Having been turned over quite narrowly by Greenock Wanderers and comprehensively by Ardrossan Accies last week, Perthshire take on a Lasswade side who have also been bested by Greenock and, although they beat Strathmore, there is no real form line to follow in this one.