Ross Sutherland one game away from dream final at Murrayfield
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COACH Murray Kennedy says Ross Sutherland have no fears heading into the unknown as they travel to Blairgowrie to battle for a place in the National Bowl final.
The Stags head to Perthshire in the National Bowl semi final, where the winners will face either Irvine or Edinburgh Northern in the final at Murrayfield on April 27.
Ross Sutherland are riding on a high after winning the Caledonia North Bowl when they defeated Kinloss Eagles 34-25 in Invergordon last month.
They also clinched the Highlands and Islands Conference title and are in the play-offs for possible promotion to Caledonia One.
Blairgowrie have experienced similar success after they claimed the Midlands Two title and won the Midlands Bowl final.
Kennedy says while Blairgowrie are a team they have never encountered before, Ross Sutherland are determined to head up the road with victory and a final at Murrayfield to look forward to.
He said: “There is a lot of excitement for this match and training has had more intensity.
“We are excited to see how we match up against Blairgowrie. We know they have had a similar season to us and only lost once in the league. They are used to winning and we are used to winning.
“They have the advantage of playing the game at Blairgowrie, but it is good to have this challenge and find out what we can do.
“We will go and play the way that we like to play.”
It is a massive month coming up for Ross Sutherland in terms of matches in the Bowl and in the play-offs for Caledonia One.
In the promotion play-offs, Ross Sutherland will travel to Inverurie to face Garioch on April 20.
On April 27 they will either play in the National Bowl final or host North Police in the play-offs in Invergordon.
The Stags head to North Police in Aberdeen on May 4 before hosting Garioch on May 11.
Kennedy says every match they play from now until the end of the season has something riding on it.
“The play-offs have been announced and we know every game we have until the end of the season is big for us.
“The boys have put themselves in this position and we were delighted to win the Caledonia North Bowl and Highlands and Islands Conference.
“But we want to get promoted and get to Murrayfield for the final. It was a good season, but it could be a great season.”
Ross Sutherland won the National Bowl at Murrayfield in 2018 in what was hailed as the club’s greatest moment.
Kennedy says he would love for the current squad to experience what he did as a player six years ago.
“We have done it before and for the players involved it was an unreal experience.
”I am excited for them getting there, it was one of the highlights of my life playing at Murrayfield.
“The boys have put themselves in a position of making that a reality.”
