Highland will take a major step in their return to competitive rugby when they host an internal senior match with spectators at Canal Park tomorrow.
The Inverness outfit have not played since a 43-12 victory away to Dundee HSFP in March 2020 prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has amounted to a lengthy lay-off for Davie Carson’s squad.
Tomorrow’s internal match will involve around 50 players who have trained in recent months, with bounce matches away to Edinburgh Accies and at home to Aberdeen Grammar to follow in the next two weekends.
With an eye on the National 1 opener at home to Ayr on September 4, Carson is relishing his side’s step up in preparation.
Carson said: “We have been working with Rory Cross on the strength and conditioning, and building up contact as it has been a long time.
“The boys have kept fit, but they haven’t had the bumps and bruises from a match yet. We have just been building it up over the last three or four weeks.
“We have an internal game on Saturday, which will give them a runout. We have had 50 or so players training, so that will be good for them all.
“You can run and do gym work as much as you want, but it’s important they start tackling, and getting into scrums and line-outs.
“It’s good to get a first run out before the two pre-season friendlies against Edinburgh Accies and Aberdeen Grammar.
“It’s two Premiership sides two weeks on the trot, which is a good test for the squad.”
While Carson admits the long lay-off has become increasingly frustrating, he hopes it can have a beneficial effect on his side, who have made big strides through the divisions in recent years.
The Highland head coach added: “It wasn’t great to have the break, but in other ways it has refreshed everyone.
“We have had quite a busy seven years pushing on from Caledonia 2 North to National 1, with three cup finals in there as well.
“I wouldn’t say it was a welcome break, but it was one that we all enjoyed to a degree.
“We are all dead keen to get back into it now.
“We trained last year, but we were restricted to touch rugby, and it was getting laborious to be honest.
“The players were running around, but as coaches we weren’t really coaching. We were just down showing face.
“Since we have started at the beginning of July, it has been fantastic, just getting the teeth back into it again and getting some proper coaching done.”
Two departures hit Highland ranks
Highland have lost Iain Chisholm and Oscar Baird from the squad which ended the 2019-20 campaign, however, Carson is optimistic his side can continue to compete strongly in National 1.
Carson added: “I think everyone is going to need a few games to get into it having had such a long break.
“A lot will depend on the Super Six sides in National 1. I think there were a lot of unhappy people who didn’t get a lot of rugby in the Super Six, and have maybe decided to drop back to their club sides.
“There will be a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, and I certainly reckon the six teams are that are in our league will be stronger than they were the first year we played them.
“They are going to be a really hard test, but that’s what we look forward to. We want to play against the best players we can.
“We have been working hard as well and are as fit as we can be, so we are looking forward to it.”