Relegation fear adds bite to Greens' clash
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Three successive defeats mean the Greens go into tomorrow’s match with only one side, Aberdeen University, certain to finish below them.
With two trap-door spots looming, Glenrothes and Gordonians can both potentially pass the Greens’ total with bonus wins in their two remaining matches. The threat adds bite to the Greens’ trip to Woodside.
Coach Colin Sangster said: “If Gordonians and Glenrothes each get two bonus-point wins and we get nothing on Saturday, we’d go down. We’re one point shy of being safe.”
The shaky position largely stems from the Greens having harvested just three bonus points this season – the lowest of any side in the league.
Sangster said: “Since I came back at the end of last year, we’ve frittered away points we should have been picking up. If you’re going to be competitive in a league, every point is a prisoner, whether it’s a win or a losing bonus.”
Sangster is looking forward to playing Shire against whom the Greens have developed a healthy rivalry.
Sangster said: “We’ll be going there with a decent squad. Shire have already won the league but they will be keen to win their last game at home.”
The personnel headache in the front five of the past two games has cleared up after the return from either injury or unavailability of props Mark Nicolson and Tommy Sutherland, and locks Roddy Gray and Andy Morris.
Number eight Evan Sutherland will have a late fitness test on a shoulder injury while flanker Stevie Campbell is hoping to shake off an ankle knock.
Other fitness tests will be made on scrum-half Graham Fryer and winger Martin Oswald.
Aberdeen University’s impressive 50-21 win at Strathmore on Saturday gives the students a fighting chance of avoiding the drop.
Caithness Seconds went down 35-0 away to their Orkney counterparts in the first round of the Brin Cup in Kirkwall on Saturday.
