Caithness set to take on exiles and students in Thurso
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Hopes are high that the festive season rugby clash in Thurso in memory of Sinclair Cadzow will go ahead for the first time in three years.
The pandemic derailed the scheduled matches between Caithness and an Exiles/Students XV in 2020 and 2021.
But with the health concerns about socialising having receded and a favourable weather forecast, the fixture at Millbank is set to go ahead on Tuesday at 1.30pm.
The event remembers Sinclair Cadzow, who was 21 when he fell from a ferry into Loch Ryan shortly after it left Stranraer for Larne in January 1996.
The agriculture student, from Murkle, was on his way to watch the Scotland/ Ireland Five Nations match in Dublin.
Greens coach Kenny Russell said: “It’s a very important fixture for the club and it will be good to play it again after the Covid cancellations.
“It’s good for everyone to get together and remember Sinclair and others we have lost more recently, including Marc MacKenzie.”
In charge of assembling the Exiles is former Green Stuart Kirk, who plays for Dundee Rugby in National League Division 1.
Kirk, from Castletown, is looking to score a rare victory for the composite side.
Russell said: “Stuart reckons he’s going to have a pretty decent team.
“We’ll be using the game to keep us in shape and prepare for the next league game.
“We’ll be using it to give starts to Ryan Cormack and Sinclair Bremner who would have started in the last game against Aberdeen Wanderers if it had gone on.
“We’ll have about a squad of about 20 and will make sure everyone gets a decent run-out.”
Russell himself is not sure if he will be in the county on the day, with David Pottinger on stand-by.
Ewen Scott is set to referee the match between the two teams, which has a 1pm kick-off.
The last memorial match saw a final-play penalty earn Caithness a 22-19 victory over the exiles/students on Boxing Day in 2019.
Once the league season resumes, the Greens play the first of their four outstanding Caledonia One League matches, away to Grangemouth on Saturday, January 7. Grangemouth’s improvement from last season was underlined by their 17-12 win at the home of title-chasing Dunfermline on Saturday.
