Our pupils’ sporting success continued last week with some of our boys playing for Caithness Schools Under 16 Rugby team. They gained a superb victory over Helensburgh-based side Lomond in the National Plate Competition. The team’s coach James Miller kindly recounts the victory for us:

Caithness made a fast start showing no ill effects of the long journey, scoring a try through Jordan Miller converted by Stuart Kirk. Unfortunately they switched off as quickly as on and conceded a levelling score almost immediately. Caithness went back to basics and started to dominate the game with Aidan Sinclair, Reece Mowat and Ben Miller showing up well with big carries and some stern defence which put pressure on the Lomond players and when the ball was knocked free in a tackle Reece Mowat managed to pick it up and run in for the try. With their tails up and their hosts wilting under the pressure Caithness ran in another couple of tries from Jordan Miller whose power and pace proved too much for Lomond to handle. Unfortunately for some reason after getting into a comfy 24-7 lead they tried force things to quickly and with 10 mins left in the game Lomond scored a penalty to tie things up at 24 all.

Caithness regained their composure and started to play some very good rugby with the forwards really stepping forward and although Ross Mackay was rather controversially held up over the line, the tide had turned and there was no stopping them Jordan Miller finishing another two tries both converted by Stuart Kirk who then finished the scoring with a penalty.

The return journey was eventually finished at almost 1 am back in Wick eighteen hours after we started having witnessed a sunrise, a moonset, a sunset and the moon come up again, a game of rugby and 560 miles of Scotland’s roads!

Roll on the next round (and hopefully a home tie).