Davie Carson says this weekend’s trip to GHK gives Highland the opportunity to lay down a marker for improved form on the road.
Highland have started the National 1 campaign strongly, taking nine points from back-to-back home victories over Ayr and Dundee Rugby.
They play their first away match of the campaign on Saturday, when they face their newly-promoted Glasgow opponents.
Although Carson says home form will be the foundation of Highland’s success, he says it is equally important to add more points on their travels.
Carson said: “A point we talked about in pre-season was improving our away form.
“We had a few good victories on the road, but we probably lost more than we won.
“If we want to be challenging up near the top we need to win our home games, but we also need to pick up these four-pointers away from home.
“We have really emphasised that this week. It’s no different from being at Canal Park, other than it’s not our home crowd.
🟢🔴 NEXT GAMES 🟢🔴
1st XV
🏉 GHK Rugby Club
📌 Old Anniesland, Glasgow
📅 24th Sept
⏰ 3pm Kick Off2nd XV
🏉 Banff RFC
📌Duff House Sports Club, Banff
📅 24th Sept
⏰ 3pm Kick Off3rd XV
🏉 Inverness Craig Dunain RFC
📌Canal Park
📅 24th Sept
⏰ 3pm Kick Off pic.twitter.com/K4H4yFyfSX— Highland Rugby Club 🦅 (@HighlandRFC) September 20, 2022
“If we get the mindset right, and play as well as we have been, we can come away with points.
“The boys sat down and said we had a poor start last season, but they had a really good pre-season and made it their goal to win what was supposed to be our first three games.
“Obviously it was just the two home games, with the Grammar game being postponed.
“We are really pleased, but the first half performance against Dundee on Saturday was probably one of our best in quite a while. We were 19-0 up at half-time, and scored three great tries to take total control of the game.”
Teenager Kinsella to be given starting chance
Highland are without the unavailable Gordon Gregor, which will pave the way for 17-year-old Alfie Kinsella to step in at back row.
Carson added: “He has been training with us for the last three or four weeks, having been cleared to play senior rugby.
“We gave him 20 minutes on Saturday against Dundee. He’s the same sort of position as Gordon so we will slot him in as he did really well.
“He’s a young, talented boy who just needs to learn his trade. We have done the same with many young guys, and they have really stepped up to the mark.”
Orkney eager to maintain superb early season form
Orkney are eagerly anticipating their first home game of the National 3 season against Strathmore on Saturday.
The newly-promoted islanders have made a superb start since returning from Caley Division 1, winning back-to-back away games against Hillhead Jordanhill and Murrayfield Wanderers.
Head coach Derek Robb, who will be without Ali Linklater and Neil Campbell from his front row, is looking forward to seeing national league rugby back in Kirkwall.
He added: “All the spectators who support us back at home will be delighted to have rugby back at the Pickaquoy Centre this Saturday.
“Hopefully we can do them justice against what appears to be a fairly strong Strathmore side.
“We were delighted to prevail against Murrayfield Wanderers in the end. We shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times in the game, but the boys showed great resilience to pull through and get the winning try with four minutes left in the game.
“We managed to hold out to the end, so I’m chuffed to bits with another five-pointer away from home.
“We are delighted to get back into the national leagues. For the younger players that are coming into the squad now, it gives them a chance to progress and improve against better teams.
“There are one or two really good teams in the Caledonia leagues, but the standard overall is a lot better in National 3.”
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