Highland subject rivals to drubbing

ROSS Sutherland RFC were left reeling after local rivals Highland handed out a 60-0 thumping at Invergordon last Saturday.

In Division 2’s game of the day, unbeaten Highland were the favourites to take the points from the game and they lived up to the pre-match expectations with a display that completely justifies their position at the top of the table.

With the exception of a couple of minor incursions, the first half was played entirely in Ross territory as Highland took the game to Ross. Despite some rugged defence, including one Highland try being held up, the hosts found themselves 26-0 down by half time.

The second half started brighter for Ross with some more determined attacking play from the forwards but Highland absorbed the early pressure and took hold of the game once more.

The efforts from defending most of the game began to take their toll on the home side and gaps in the defence started to open up. Highland’s attack broke through time and again and the Ross back line was no match for their opposite numbers as the visitors ran in another six second-half tries to secure the bonus point win and the Jack Henderson Trophy.

After the game club president Alan McLean said: “It’s important that we put this behind us and get back to winning ways, and we’ll certainly be looking to pick up points when we visit Lochaber next Saturday.”

Despite this set-back Ross Sutherland remain third in the league, eight points clear of Lochaber who sit fifth with two games in hand. The game kicks off at the Black Parks, Fort William at 2pm.

• THE club’s U18s lost 14-3 at Aberdeen Grammar on Saturday.

With many games in the Aberdeen area off due to frozen pitches, the Rubislaw ground passed a late inspection to allow the game to go ahead.

The game remained close throughout, with Jake Geddis’s penalty keeping the score within four points until well into injury time when Grammar added a second try and conversion. Ross had crossed the Grammar line twice before this but on each occasion the ball was held up.

Next up for the U18s is a tough away tie to Mackie in two weeks’ time in the first round of the Caledonia Cup.