Highland will be looking to keep up the pressure on National One leaders Ayr when they host Dundee Rugby at Canal Park tomorrow.
The Inverness outfit saw their match at leaders Ayr a fortnight ago postponed, but roared back into action last weekend with an impressive 29-14 bonus point home win over in-form Glasgow Accies.
It means that they are in second place in the 10-team league and six points behind the pacesetters.
Dundee will travel eighth in the table, but have shown on their day that they can cause teams in this division problems, so Highland certainly will not be taking anything for granted.
Highland head coach Dave Carson is hopeful of having have Stuart Watson back at tighthead prop and Euan Milton back in the second-row.
They have lost Mike Gray and Andrew Kellock to injury from the backline, so Timoci Waqanibau will come back in at centre and Dan Corr will be on the wing.
It could also be a big day for Scotland under-18 wider squad member Lochlan Hodge, the 17-year old front-rower, who is set for a first team debut off the bench.
When the two sides met on the opening day of the campaign back in September Highland won 47-19 in the City of Discovery.
Grammar look to bounce back
In National Two, Aberdeen Grammar, in ninth, face a big match in Edinburgh against bottom side Stewart’s Melville.
Grammar have won one and lost six of their completed matches to date and are on eight points and are still hurting from last week’s derby defeat to Gordonians.
Stewart’s Melville are on seven points after recently being sanctioned three penalty points for not fulfilling a fixture.
Grammar captain Jonny Spence said: “Last week was a tough result for us (17-5 versus Gordonians), but we took a lot from how we defended.
“A couple of our younger guys stood up in that game and are starting to really find their feet within the team. Calum Queen is very active and punches well above his weight in the back-row while now we’ve also got Josh Ferguson with us which creates competition in the back three.
“This week will definitely be a test. Both teams are dying for points, but we beat Stewart’s Melville home and away last year (in National One) so will be aiming to do the same again this season.
“They’ve got a lot of talent in their squad and will be looking to play some rugby, so we’ll have work hard to nullify them.”
Mark Galloway and Liam Buchan will come back into contention in the front-row for Grammar after 18-year-old Michael Rice picked up an injury in a strong performance last week.
Dan McElderry will start in the 10 jersey with Marcus Van Der Esch set to make his first team debut.
Gordonians, in fourth, host eighth placed Berwick in the same division.
The Countesswells’ men welcome back captain Chris McIlroy this weekend to boost their lineout options.
On the flip side, they have lost stand-off Josh Andrew to a dislocated finger and surgery means he will be out for a few weeks, so young Hamish Smart will step in.
“As with all teams in the league, Berwick will be another physical test for this young squad,” Gordonians’ head coach Ryan Morrice said.
“They were unlucky not to get the win against Grammar recently so they have shown they can shake off the effects of a long journey. They are capable of holding onto the ball for long periods of time and we’ll need to be patient in defence.
“The weather is looking better this weekend, so hopefully we can get back to playing the sort of rugby we know we can, although it’s been good to see the players get tested in a more attritional style.”
Orkney are still unbeaten in National Three and they are back at home for the first time since September 30 to take on Cartha Queens Park.
The Pickaquoy men are second in the standings and after an eighth win in a row while Cartha are ninth.
In Caledonia One’s North Conference, leaders Aberdeenshire host fifth place Highland’s second string.
And in a rearranged game in the women’s Premiership, bottom side Garioch are set to be on the road to Cartha Queens Park who are sixth in the eight-team competition.
