Caithness head coach says Yellows have created feelgood factor
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Cameron Boyd is looking forward to watching Caithness Seconds in action on Saturday as they bid to get back to winning ways at Millbank.
Their former coach has seen very little of the Yellows since he stepped up to take charge of the 1st XV at the start of November.
Boyd has been evangelical in his championing of the return of the Seconds several years ago after their lengthy absence from competitive action.
The deepening of the talent pool, the greater competition for places in the top squad and the general feelgood factor engendered are all major pluses in the club's development, according to the head coach.
"It's so important for the club to have a Seconds and it has been great to see guys who haven't played since school get involved again," he said. "We've also seen a good few of them come through the ranks and challenge and win places in the Firsts.
"If every season we could get a couple like that coming through, that would be great."
Boyd added that the boost in numbers had led to an increase in competition and intensity at training sessions.
Weather permitting, the Yellows will on Saturday lock horns with Moray 2nd XV, a fortnight after losing out 39-26 in Elgin.
In contrast to the short-handed squad that travelled for the Caledonia North Region 2 Highlands and Islands Conference clash, they have a pool of 25 to pick from for Saturday's match in Thurso.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing them in action as I haven't seen much of them this season," Boyd said.
"Looking at the fixture from the Firsts' angle, we have a number of guys coming back from injury or unavailability so it gives us a chance to look at them.
"We can try out different combinations and those that are on the fringe of the Firsts, like Lachlan Jardine, Calum MacDonald and Tom David.
"We'll want to give them 80 minutes to give them the chance to put their hand up and stake their claim."
Boyd is delighted that since his move a couple of Yellows have taken on more responsibility off the field.
He said: "It's great to see the likes of Ally Williams and Gary McPhee stepping up to get guys along, make things happen and fulfil fixtures."
The Yellows enjoyed successive wins against Skye, Highland 3rd XV and Craig Dunain at Millbank before going down 31-10 to Stornoway there at the start of December.
Saturday's game has a 2pm kick-off.
The Greens, meanwhile, still to take their 2024 bow after their match on Saturday versus Caley 1 North Conference champions Moray went by the board. With Millbank cocooned in a thick blanket of snow and a forecast of the cold snap continuing until the weekend, the match was called off on Wednesday.
All Caley 1 and 2 fixtures on Saturday were frozen off.
The Greens were unable to train last week but their twice-weekly schedule at Millbank and the all-weather surface at Wick High resumed on Tuesday.
They have no fixture on Saturday as they received a bye in the first round of the National Shield.
Their next league outing is a rearranged home match against RAF Lossiemouth on February 3.
