We are hugely proud to announce that tomorrow some of our pupils will walk on the hallowed Murrayfield turf to represent Caithness Rugby Club in the National Plate Final.

The final will be played against Kelso with a 5.30pm kick off. We, of course, wish them all the best.

The team’s coach, James Miller, has very kindly written a match report of the semi-final for us:

The Caithness boys have a national final at Murrayfield this Wednesday after a very hard fought draw away to Lenzie Academy played at Burnbrae .

Caithness started the game very strongly with Ross Mackay catching the kick off and breaking a couple of tackles and making 30 yards before being dragged down, with the forwards tails up and going through the phases only a knock on halting their progress. However the pack were not done there; shoving the home team off their own ball and setting up even more pressure on the home defence which was only released with Jack Macleod driving over near the posts and Stuart Kirk converting to give them a lead their start richly deserved.

 Lenzie started to get a foothold in the game with Caithness moving away from what was successful forward play to a more expansive game which only led to putting themselves under pressure and some aimless clearance kicks just gifting away possession. Only some great cover tackles from Michael Macgregor and Cameron Ryder keeping out what was becoming incessant home team pressure. Eventually that pressure told and Lenzie scored an unconverted try. Caithness were in danger of throwing away all their good work when the home team scored a second try, this time converted, and were lucky that a penalty with the last kick of the first half.

After a refocusing of minds at half-time Caithness went back to their forwards who had the upper hand in scrums all day, regularly regaining possession and but for some poor lineout work would have scored much earlier in the second half. Eventually the break through came and again it was scored by Macleod with another short range charge out wide. Stuart Kirk had a great effort at the conversion from the touchline, which bounced back of the crossbar.

Caithness now were controlling the game but couldn’t convert that into tries but with 5 minutes left were given the chance with a penalty in front of the posts but just over 40 meters out. Once again Kirk hit it well and had the distance only to hit the post. Despite this Caithness saw out the remaining time fairly comfortably apart from a half break by Lenzie with the last play of the game, which was snuffed out and cleared off the park to finish the game. To the Caithness boys’ credit the celebrations were slightly muted as they knew the heartache of losing a semi-final by tie break rules.

 So on to Murrayfield on Wednesday and a game against Kelso.

Squad that travelled to Lenzie:

Lachlan Jardine, Jack Macleod, Aidan Sinclair, Ruaridh Mackay, Reece Mowat, Lewis Frazer, Ross Mackay, Michael Elder ( capt), Stuart Kirk, Jamie Mowat, Max Paul, Nathan Quinn, Michael Macgregor, Cameron Ryder, Craig Kennedy, Ryan Steven, Ben Miller.