Highland head coach Davie Carson has warned his players to expect a vastly-improved Dundee side to make the trip to Canal Park this weekend.
Dundee had been rock-bottom of National 1 throughout the last season of competitive rugby in 2019-20, and were only spared relegation by the voiding of that campaign due to Covid-19.
Highland’s final game before the shutdown was a 43-12 triumph away to Dundee in March 2020, with Carson’s men having defeated them 66-17 at home earlier in the campaign.
With the Mayfield side having already clocked up a convincing win over Watsonian, Carson does not expect them to be the whipping boys of the division any longer.
Carson said: “Our co-captain Scott Fraser said to the guys after the game not to expect the same Dundee of two years ago.
“They were really struggling, and everyone was putting 40 or 50 points past them.
“I have looked at the videos, they were very competitive against Melrose and they put Watsonian away as well.
“They are a far better side than they were last time we played them.
“It’s National 1 rugby though, you’ve got to out and win these games regardless of who the opposition are.”
Highland will go into the match full of confidence after racking up a second successive win in last week’s 42-10 triumph away to Boroughmuir.
FULL TIME at Meggetland
@BmuirSports 10-42 @HighlandRFC pic.twitter.com/U7Hy7lR7P0— Highland Rugby Club 🦅 (@HighlandRFC) September 25, 2021
Having opened the campaign with two defeats, Carson feels the standards set in the last fortnight must be replicated in the weeks to come.
He added: “We just continued on from what we did against Heriot’s at home, which was pleasing.
“Boroughmuir were not at the same level as Heriot’s were, but they were still a good side.
“To score 42 points in National 1 away from home is very impressive.
“It’s just a case of reemphasising the fact we’ve got to go out and play the exact same way as we have over the last two weeks, and we will get the result.
“If we don’t do that though, we will slip up.”
Highland will be without Gordon Gregor through work commitments, however experienced trio Stuart Butler, Rory Cross and Stevie Murray are all back in contention.