Kingussie will be without key defender Calum Grant for at least four weeks as he travels halfway across the world to Australia through work commitments.
His imminent departure means he will miss some key matches as Kingussie fight on all four fronts in an attempt to match last year’s Grand Slam success.
Manager Iain Borthwick said: “We have known about the possibility of losing Calum through his work for a while now and there have been a couple of delays, but it is now happening.”
Grant captained the Scotland under-21 side against their Irish counter-parts in 2019 and he is a regular starter in a Kingussie defence that has only conceded seven goals in eight league matches so far this season; the fewest in the division.
He will miss Saturday’s Mowi Premiership match at Lovat, the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup quarter final tie at Caberfeidh, the league meeting with Skye Camanachd at the Dell and the Artemis Macaulay Cup semi final tie against Kinlochshiel due to his trip.
Borthwick said: “There’s no doubt Calum will be a big loss to us and right now, I only hope his stay abroad isn’t extended beyond the four-week period so that he’ll be able to re-join us for the final stretch of the season.
“I do have options to cover his absence though as I could move Alexander Michie back into defence whilst Lee Bain can play there too.
“I’ll give it all some thought ahead of the weekend game at Lovat.”